26 January 2011 - The Secretary-General welcomes the inauguration earlier today of the Wolesi Jirga, the Lower House of the Afghan Parliament, presided over by President Hamid Karzai. Dari-Pashto

The inauguration marks the end of the electoral process and the beginning of a period in which Afghan governing institutions must work together to solve the pressing problems that the country faces, putting aside the differences as any robust and vibrant democracy demands.

The Secretary-General acknowledges the statesmanship of President Karzai and supports his call for unity in the interests of all Afghans as the new Parliament assumes its functions . He further commends Afghan political leaders, and all who participated in the electoral process — voters, the electoral institutions, and both winning and losing candidates — for their contribution to Afghanistan’s democratic development.

New York, 26 January 2011

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