The FINANCIAL -- According to RIA Novosti, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Afghanistan on November 2 for meetings with President Hamid Karzai and leading opposition figure Abdullah Abdullah, the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan said.

The visit comes after a deadly attack on a UN guest house last week that killed five foreign UN staff, and after Abdullah withdrew on November 1 from the second round of presidential elections that would have pitted him against Karzai.

The former foreign minister pulled out of the runoff accusing election authorities of bias in favor of the incumbent. His decision cast doubt on the legitimacy of the next government as the August 20 was marred by reports of fraud.

Ban will also meet with his special representative and other UN staff, the organization said in a statement.

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