UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The head of the United Nations says Mahmoud Abbas' election as Palestinian president is "a significant step in what is a historic democratic transition."
Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday he was looking forward to working for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the new president.
"The Secretary-General welcomes the Palestinian Presidential election as a significant step in what is a historic democratic transition in the occupied Palestinian territory," he said in a statement issued by a spokesman at U.N. World Headquarters in New York. "He is especially pleased with reports indicating that the election was conducted in a politically competitive yet peaceful atmosphere."
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the secretary-general added, "The commitment to democracy of the Palestinian people and their institutions is strong foundation for President Abbas to build on."
Annan voiced pleasure at reports indicating the election of a successor to Yasser Arafat, who died in November, was conducted in a politically competitive yet peaceful atmosphere, and he congratulated the Palestinian Central Elections Commission for organizing a credible and genuine poll under challenging conditions.
