UN chief lauds Tunisia's "historic" election

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday congratulated the Tunisian people on their landmark Constituent Assembly election, hailing it as "a key step" in the country's transition. "The secretary-general congratulates the people and interim authorities of Tunisia for holding a historic Constituent Assembly election on Oct. 23 in a peaceful and orderly manner," said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesman. The vote, held to elect the 217-member Constituent Assembly, went on smoothly Sunday, with no violence reported so far. The electoral body said that the turnout was huge. The assembly shoulders the task of drafting the country's new constitution and paving the way for legislative and presidential elections within 12 months. "This landmark election constitutes a key step in the democratic transition of the country and a significant development in the overall democratic transformation in North Africa and the Middle East," the statement said. The secretary-general encouraged all stakeholders to "remain committed to the principles of inclusiveness and transparency throughout the remaining parts of the transition process," the statement said. "The participation of women and youth in the transition process is of key importance for its success," the statement said. Final results of the voting are expected to be announced Monday. More than 40,000 police officers and troops were mobilized for the event.