SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL RESULTS OF IRAQI ELECTIONS

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL RESULTS OF IRAQI ELECTIONS

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement by the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) of the final certified results of the 15 December national election.  He again pays tribute to the courageous commitment of the Iraqi people to the democratic process as demonstrated by the participation of millions of voters of all communities, as well as hundreds of thousands of observers, agents and poll workers.

The Secretary-General is encouraged that the new Parliament will be broadly representative of Iraq’s diverse communities and will include a substantial percentage of women.  At this historic moment, the Secretary-General calls on Iraq’s political leaders to work with resolve towards the early formation of a fully inclusive Government which will strive to build a peaceful, prosperous, democratic and united Iraq.

The Secretary-General also congratulates the IECI for successfully conducting this election under very challenging circumstances.  The United Nations is pleased to have provided support to the process and remains fully committed to assisting the Iraqi people in the forthcoming electoral programme in 2006.

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