NEW YORK  - The Secretary-General congratulates the people of Afghanistan for exercising their right to vote in the second round of the presidential election on Saturday. The participation of men and women across the country demonstrates, once again, the commitment of the Afghan people to shape the future of their country and to reject violence and intimidation.

The Secretary-General commends the performance of the Afghan security forces and all those involved in supporting the conduct of the vote on Saturday, including the Independent Electoral Commission and thousands of Afghan observers. It is the task now of the Afghan electoral institutions to tally and adjudicate votes in an impartial, transparent and timely manner.

The Secretary-General encourages the candidates and their supporters to respect the electoral process and the mandate of the electoral institutions. In the weeks to come it is critical that Afghanistan preserves the unity, optimism and spirit of inclusiveness reflected in Saturday’s vote.