Source:Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Updated: 2013/08/09
HARARE, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Head of Chinese Observer Mission Liu Guijin on Friday endorsed Zimbabwe's polls as fairly credible, free and peaceful, urging political parties to accept results peacefully.
"Though it's not a flawless election, it was generally free, peaceful and fairly credible," he said during a press briefing.
The African Union (AU) has endorsed the polls as free and fair while the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has cautiously approved the polls, restricting itself to acknowledging just the peaceful and freeness of the vote.
The SADC mission said it will explain the issue of fairness in its final report due within 30 days after announcement of election results.
Guijin said the Chinese Observer Mission which comprised 10 people concurred with the preliminary assessments of the two African bodies.
"We basically agree with the observations of SADC and AU. We agree with their conclusions and preliminary assessments of the elections," he said.
Liu said though it had some flaws, the elections were orderly, organized, peacefully conducted and fairly credible.
He appealed to political parties to accept the poll outcome and for those aggrieved to pursue legal channels to avoid violence.
"Violence does not serve interests of anyone. Zimbabwe needs peace, stability and unity," he said.
He strongly advised Zimbabweans against taking to the streets if they are not happy with the poll outcome, saying violence was not good for anyone.
"If you are objecting the election outcome, you need to reflect your sentiment through a legal and peaceful way," he added.
On remarks by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai that the election was a farce citing a "manipulated voters' roll", Guijin said the PM needed to substantiate his claims.
The former Chinese envoy on Africa affairs said he hoped that the peaceful election would open a modern chapter in the history of Zimbabwe as it embarked on the journey to "stability, development and prosperity."
"The Chinese government and people would like to work with the new government to further enhance our good relations and expand cooperation in the economy, cultural and in many other fields to serve the basic long term interests of Zimbabwean and Chinese people," he said.
Mugabe's Zanu-PF party has predicted a landslide victory in the elections and results released so far have seen the party taking a commanding lead in parliamentary elections.