Dominic Jermey, the UK ambassador to Afghanistan, on Thursday said that his country will support any move which is taken to ensure a transparent election process in Afghanistan.
 
Speaking to TOLOnews’ correspondent, Jawed Ziaratjayee, Jermey said that the UK strongly supports the implementation of the e-voting system in Afghanistan and will provide all out support to the Afghan government and the country’s election management bodies, but he stressed that the elections should be held in a free, fair and transparent manner.
 
On Thursday, the UK envoy visited the western province of Herat to oversee the process of development projects funded by his country in the area.
 
He said that the UK and the entire international community are waiting for the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to announce the date for the country’s parliamentary and district council elections.
 
“Well first of all I do know that the independent electoral commission is looking at having some electronic solution here in Afghanistan. In the UK for example, we do everything still with pencil and paper, we don’t use an electronic solution … but if that is the direction that Afghanistan wants to go in that is a good thing, we are looking very carefully at what the procurement process for that technological solution will be,” said Jermey.
 
On the issue of Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, the UK ambassador said that the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are crucial.
 
Referring to the recent trilateral meeting between delegations from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UK, Jermey said that he is happy to see that trade and commercial relations between the two countries have resumed.
 
However, he refused to comment on what was discussed at the trilateral meeting, but said that he hopes such negotiations open a new chapter in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
 
“Well we don’t comment on discussions held by the national security advisors. But what we looking for from this engagement is an ongoing process of discussion between Afghanistan and Pakistan on all the issues that are important to both sides,” he added.
 
During the visit, Jermey reaffirmed his country’s longstanding cooperation with Afghanistan.