Haitians to vote for president Nov. 28

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, June 30 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday signaled his approval for Haiti's presidential election in November.

Haitian President Rene Preval issued decrees last week and Thursday mandating the election to select his successor be held Nov. 28.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Ban called on the Haitian government, the Provisional Electoral Council, political parties and all Haitians to "ensure that the upcoming elections are transparent and credible and serve to reinforce Haiti's democratic institutions as the country strives to recover from the worst humanitarian crisis in its history."

About 230,000 people died in a Jan. 12 earthquake that struck the Port-au-Prince area. Another 1.3 million people were left homeless and many buildings were destroyed.

"The secretary-general reiterates the United Nations' commitment to provide comprehensive support to the Haitian authorities in the preparation and conduct of the elections," the statement said.

The U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti and the U.N. Development Program have started providing security, logistical and technical assistance for the elections.

Ban said in a report to the U.N. Security Council that elections are central to the government's vision for a renewed state, a vision he appealed to the international community to support.

Ban encouraged U.N. member states to provide the financial resources needed for elections as swiftly as possible.