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KINSHASA - Congolese former rebel warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba has vowed to challenge "by all legal means" a presidential election result giving victory to his rival, incumbent President Joseph Kabila.
Vice-President Bemba, who led a rebel group in Congo's 1998-2003 war, rejected the provisional result announced by electoral officials as some of his youthful supporters stoned police and cars in the riverside capital Kinshasa.
Anticipating possible trouble, UN and European peacekeeping troops and local police deployed in force in Kinshasa on Thursday local time to prevent any violence stemming from the outcome of Democratic Republic of Congo's historic elections.
In a statement broadcast by a TV station he controls, Bemba rejected an announcement by the electoral commission late on Wednesday which gave Kabila victory with 58.05 per cent of the votes against 41.95 per cent for Bemba.
The result from the October 29 presidential run-off still has to be confirmed by the Supreme Court.
"I regret to have to say to our people and the international community that I cannot accept these results which are far from reflecting the truth of the ballot box," Bemba said.
"I promise to use all legal means to ensure the will of our people is respected," he added. His campaign camp had already denounced "systematic cheating" in vote counting.
Bemba said the electoral commission had not replied adequately to his complaints.
As Bemba's aides prepared a strategy to challenge the result, foreign governments and leaders urged all sides in the war-scarred country to accept the polls outcome peacefully.
Calmly
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Congolese to "receive the results calmly, and responsibly (and) to refrain from any recourse to violence".
The elections in Congo were its first free polls in more than 40 years and were aimed at leaving behind years of chaos and violence in the vast, mineral-rich former Belgian colony.
A western diplomat said Bemba had told the UN and Congo's army that he was not going to attempt military action.
"It could be worse. It was never likely he was going to accept the results but at least he hasn't used incendiary language," the diplomat said.
Bemba now has three days in which to take his complaint to the Supreme Court.
UN soldiers from the world's biggest peacekeeping force took up positions in Kinshasa on Thursday to avoid a repeat of past deadly gunbattles between Bemba's and Kabila's supporters.
After Bemba's statement, Kinshasa's streets were largely deserted as shops closed early and people rushed home.
Earlier groups of angry pro-Bemba youths stoned passing cars outside Bemba's official residence. UN forces positioned several armoured vehicles between the police and the protesters.
UN officials and foreign governments hailed last month's vote as a major milestone in Congo's bid to build a new era of stability and prosperity following the end of the war.
"It is vital the international community maintains its support," Ross Mountain, deputy head of the UN mission, said.
Congo's war spawned a humanitarian crisis that has killed 4 million people. Aid workers estimate 1,200 still die daily from violence, hunger and disease.
Soldiers loyal to the two rival candidates fought days of street battles in August in which at least 30 people died. Four more were killed last Saturday when the two sides clashed again.
- REUTERS
