Western donors urge Ethiopia calm

Both sides say they have won

Western donors have urged Ethiopian leaders to stay calm and talk to each other as they await the results of last Sunday's parliamentary vote.

"We ask all parties to respect the role of the National Election Board in counting and declaring the results," a statement from 21 ambassadors said.

The plea came amid claims of fraud and as first official results showed the opposition taking seats in the capital.

The final results are due to be announced on 8 June.

Complaints 'void'

"The Ambassadors Donors Group calls upon all political parties to be calm and patient," said the statement issued by diplomats from the US, UK, Germany, and 18 other Western countries.

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"We ask all political leaders to engage in constructive dialogue," it said.

Complaints and objections must be pursued peacefully through the legally established mechanisms Donors' statement

Describing the situation in the country as an "historic time", it also urged all parties concerned "to maintain integrity in the vote-counting process and to respect the expressed will of the people at the ballot box".

"Complaints and objections must be pursued peacefully through the legally established mechanisms."

First officials results from 41 districts gave 29 seats to two main opposition groups - the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) and Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD). The governing Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) trailed with eight seats.

The opposition had just 12 seats in the outgoing 547-member parliament.

Both sides have claimed victory and have accused each other of fraud.

National Election Board head Kemal Bedri said they had received complaints for more than 100 constituencies.

"The complaints are not specific. These blanket statements do not mean they constitute real complaints and that there are sufficient grounds for investigation," he told the Associated Press news agency.

The poll was Ethiopia's third multi-party election and there was massive interest, with campaigning far more open than in previous votes.

The EPRDF has governed the country since 1991.

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