UN chief hails new development in Sudanese elections

Ban congratulated all those who participated in the polls " which took place without any major incident of violence" and called on all parties to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the "peaceful conclusion" of the electoral process.

A statement, issued by Ban's spokesman here, said: "The secretary-general congratulates all those who participated in the elections, which, despite the reported irregularities and opposition boycotts, took place without any major incident of violence."

In the statement, Ban also welcomed the extension of the voting period from three to five days, which allowed more people to exercise their right to vote.

"In the coming days and weeks, the secretary-general calls on all political leaders and their supporters to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the peaceful conclusion of the electoral process," the statement said.

"The secretary-general welcomes efforts of the ruling parties to engage with opposition candidates and parties, including those who boycotted the polls," the statement said.

"The secretary-general encourages all political actors in Sudan to tackle issues in a spirit of dialogue, towards a peaceful electoral outcome and ongoing implementation of the CPA," the statement also read.

The current Sudanese elections constitute a landmark in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), inked between North and South Sudan in 2005, which ended an over-two- decade civil war between the two sides. It also paves the way for the referendum on self-determination for South Sudan, slated for January 2011; Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.news.xinhuanet.com for full version.