Polls close in Iraq, UN calls for unity

New York, Mar 9 : The United Nations' chief envoy to Iraq called on political candidates and groups to respect the democratic process as counting gets under way after yesterday's vote in national parliamentary elections.

"I would like to call on all candidates and parties to unite in accepting the results. In doing so, they will set an example for a culture of democracy that is more than only the day of the elections," Ad Melkert, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, told reporters at a press conference a few hours after polls closed on Sunday.

"It will be crucial that winners and losers acknowledge mutual roles and responsibilities that are indispensable for an effective democracy," he added.

Election workers in 50,000 polling stations across the country have begun tallying the vote to elect Iraq's Council of Representatives, the country's parliament.

Reports of more than 100 violent incidents during the election campaign led to concerns that voters would be deterred from casting ballots, but Melkert said he found a resilient spirit among voters after visiting a polling station in the Mansoor district of Baghdad.

"We still have to figure out what the impact of those violent incidents, particularly here in Baghdad, have been on turnout. Interestingly, when I asked the manager here, he said: 'Well, this is something we have learned to live with and people are motivated to come no matter what.' So he did not think that in any way the turnout here in Mansoor had been adversely affected by those incidents."

Voters in the northern city of Kirkuk expressed optimism tempered with a desire to see elected politicians deliver results. One male voter said that he hoped the country would be freed of bombs and explosions.

"We want the best for Iraq and we want the candidates who win to carry out the promises they made to us," he added.

Official preliminary results for the election will be announced in a few days' time by Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). The UN has an advisory role with the Commission and helps train election officials.

Melkert said the UN was proud to have supported the millions of Iraqis who went to the polls.

"We really hope and to an extent anticipate that this will be a firm basis for the next stage of Iraq's recovery, reconstruction, growth, stability," he stressed. "It will not come overnight, but to have an election day like this is a very solid basis."