KABUL, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan-born American politician Zalmai Khalilzad is expected to contest the presidential race in his motherland scheduled for August 20, a local Afghan newspaper reported Saturday.

    "Zalmai Khalilzad is expected to visit Afghan capital Kabul in the next few days to register his name as presidential candidate," daily8Subh reported.

    Such rumors had circled in the past but Khalilzad, who served as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Nations over the past eight years, has not yet to confirm by himself.

    Rallies in favor of Khalilzad have been held in several Afghan provinces including Taliban-hotbed Halmand over the past one month during which the speakers demanded him to stand for the country's top slot.

    According to Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission, presidential candidates should get at least 10,000 signatures and give up foreign nationality.