United Nations Radio

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the people of Lebanon and all Lebanese parties and institutions concerned on the peaceful conduct of the parliamentary elections.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

At the same time, he calls on all Lebanese to respect the results and urges them to work together in the spirit of coexistence and democracy.

A statement from the UN press office says the Secretary-General hopes that the process of government formation will commence expeditiously and that it will take place in a calm and secure environment.

He says Sunday's elections and the formation of a new government in the coming period represent further important steps along the path of the revitalisation of the State's political institutions.

The statement concludes that the Secretary-General looks forward to the full consolidation of Lebanon's sovereignty, stability, unity and political independence in accordance with the Taif Accord and relevant Security Council resolutions.

Donn Bobb, United Nations Radio.

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