UN. Security Council divided over reactions to DRC's poll problems

The United Nations Security Council is divided over how to react to the tumultuous presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a report cited by Reuters shows.

The United States has condemned a lack of transparency, while China, a major investor has lauded the process.

‘’ As the African Union observation mission and the president of the African Union Commission said, the results that will be proclaimed must be consistent with the vote of the Congolese people. Furthermore, we call on all actors for calm and restraint. The holding of these consultations underlines the will of the Security Council to maintain a very attentive monitoring of the electoral process. The Security Council will tackle this issue again next week, this time in a public session’‘, said French Ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre.

The UN security council met Friday to discuss reaction following worries that the dispute over the December 30 polls could spark the kind of violence seen after the 2006 and 2011 elections.

According to a report, the 15 member council members have ‘‘differed in their appreciation of the problems that beset the process’‘.

The report cited by Reuters said the members were ‘‘divided over whether the Council should issue a press statement’‘.

DR Congo’s electoral body earlier in the week announced a delay in publishing of results due to late arrival of tally sheets.

Reuters