UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday congratulated the Haitians on the peaceful and successful elections.

In a statement released by his spokesman, Annan said he noted the people of Haiti turned out in large numbers to vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections.

He sent congratulations to all Haitians who participated in the vote for their commitment to exercising their democratic right to choose their future leaders.

Meanwhile, the secretary-general especially appealed to all people in Haiti to respect the official results to be announced by the Provisional Electoral Council.

"As the new authorities assume their responsibilities, it will be essential that all political and social actors come together in a spirit of national reconciliation and dialogue in order to build strong democratic institutions and an inclusive governance system, " he observed.

"This is a significant step forward for Haiti," Annan concluded, promising the international community "will continue to support the people of Haiti as they seek to achieve stability, normalcy and development."

Source: Xinhua