Secretary-General welcomes provisional results in Democratic Republic of Congo

 

elections; Urges all parties to remain calm, refrain from any violence

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

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement today by the Independent Electoral Commission of the provisional results of the second round of the presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which took place on 29 October.  He also welcomes the joint statement issued by President Joseph Kabila and Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba on 7 November, calling on their supporters to remain calm and avoid violence as they wait for the final results, and vowing not to challenge the outcome of the polls by force.

The Secretary-General recalls the positive statements made by international and national election observers on the organization and conduct of the elections under the aegis of the Independent Electoral Commission.  He also notes that over the past few weeks, the Commission has met frequently with representatives of both presidential candidates to discuss any concerns, and has looked thoroughly into allegations of irregularities in the electoral process.  The Secretary-General reiterates that any challenges to the provisional results must be pursued in accordance with the electoral law.

The Secretary-General is concerned about the violence in which four people lost their lives in Kinshasa on 11 November.  He urges all political leaders, and the Congolese people, to receive the results calmly and responsibly, to refrain from any recourse to violence, and to avoid statements that could threaten the peaceful completion of the national elections.

The Secretary-General commends the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), as well as EUFOR RD Congo and other partners, for the support they have given the Congolese security forces in maintaining calm and order, particularly in Kinshasa.

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For information media • not an official record