20111211
Reuters
(Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged Congolese to avoid violence in any dispute over the provisional results of Congo's presidential election, which indicate Joseph Kabila was re-elected.

"The Secretary-General takes note of the announcement of the provisional results ... which indicate that President Joseph Kabila garnered the most votes," Ban's press office said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General calls for any differences regarding the provisional results of the polls to be resolved peacefully through available legal and mediation mechanisms, including the National Mediation Committee," the statement said.

He appealed for calm, urging "all candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint and refrain from any acts of violence, provocation and incitement to violence."

The head of the electoral commission declared President Kabila the victor on Friday.

Etienne Tshisekedi, however, the main opposition challenger in Democratic Republic of Congo's election, declared himself president after rejecting the official provisional results.