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Washington (AP) The State Department is saying it could take months to sort out the many allegations of vote fraud in the Aug.

20 Afghan presidential election.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters the U.S. is not in position to say who might eventually be declared the winner or whether there should be a runoff election between the top two finishers.

Kelly said the most important thing is that the allegations of fraud be addressed in a way that gives ordinary Afghans confidence that the outcome of the voting is legitimate. He said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham CLinton spoke by phone on Monday with the U.S.

ambassador in Kabul, Karl Eikenberry, but he offered no details.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 09-08-09 1240CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list