World Bulletin / News Desk

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has held a meeting with both presidential candidates at his palace in a bid to reinforce the process of choosing his successor.

Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah are waiting for a prolonged voting audio to see who will be Afghanistan’s next president.

A statement from Karzai’s office on Sunday said the meeting aimed to bolster confidence in the audit.

Karzai reiterated that he is ready to swear in the new president on September 2. He said the audit was having a negative impact on the public, governance, security and the economy.

On Friday, United States President Barack Obama spoke separately with Ghani and Abdullah, urging them to work closely to prevent Afghanistan slipping into crisis.

Sources on both sides acknowledge that the role and authority of the chief executive, a post that will go to the runner-up, have been a major source of tension.

Ghani and Abdullah signed a unity government deal earlier this month after a dispute over the results of the presidential election.