WASHINGTON, March 28: The United States has supported the Afghan government's decision to delay the country's first democratic elections. "We support President Hamid Karzai's decision whenever he holds the elections," Ambassador William Taylor, the US coordinator for Afghanistan, told Dawn. "And if he (wants) to have the elections in September, we would support him," he added.

President Karzai announced in Kabul earlier on Sunday that Afghanistan's presidential and parliamentary elections, originally planned for June, would be held in September.

The decision came after the United Nations said the elections could not be held in June, as outlined in an international agreement that brought Mr Karzai to power in late 2001. The UN recommended both the elections be held in September.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Taylor referred to the interim constitution adopted by an Afghan tribal council in January this year. The constitution gives Mr Karzai six months to decide but does not say when he is required to hold the elections.

"The constitution requires him to establish a date for the elections within six months and he will meet that requirement. That is, he will set the dates within that six-month period, so he's well ahead of schedule on that," said Mr Taylor.

Before announcing his decision, Mr Karzai called a group of ambassadors to his office in Kabul on Wednesday, and apprised them of his intention to postpone the elections.

Envoys from the United States, Britain and the European Union attended the meeting. These states are among the largest donors to Afghanistan.

The donor states are gathering again in Berlin this week to provide additional resources for Afghanistan in the upcoming Afghan fiscal year. Afghanistan's elections alone are projected to cost more than $98 million for voter registration and a further $46 million for holding the polls.