United Nations Radio

The outcome of last Friday's presidential elections in Zimbabwe did not reflect the true and genuine will of the Zimbabwean people or produce a legitimate result.

A United Nations statement says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon supports the views expressed by the President of the Security Council regretting the decision by the Government of Zimbabwe to go ahead with the presidential elections.

The statement says the Secretary-General has said repeatedly that conditions were not in place for a free and fair election and observers have confirmed this from the deeply flawed process.

According to the statement, the Secretary-General encourages efforts of the two sides to negotiate a political solution that would end violence and intimidation.

The statement says he supports the efforts of the African Union and Southern African Development Community (SADC) to promote an agreement acceptable to the people of Zimbabwe.

And it concludes that both the Deputy Secretary-General and the Secretary-General's envoy, Mr. Haile Menkerios are at the Africa Union Summit and are ready to help in any way possible to produce this result.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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