Haiti's electoral council must take full account of an international mission's findings, reportedly eliminating the Government candidate from the presidential run-off, or face the prospect of considerable unrest, the United Nations peacekeeping chief warned today.

"After a year marked by the devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010, and the ongoing cholera epidemic, it is of paramount importance that the current political crisis is brought to a swift conclusion so that the Government and people of Haiti can focus on the challenges of reconstruction and recovery," Under-Secretary-General Alain Le Roy told the Security Council.

Thousands of protesters last month rampaged through the streets of Port-au-Prince, the capital, accusing the ruling government coalition of rigging the results, after tallies of the 28 November first round released by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) put former first lady Mirlande Manigat and outgoing President Rene Préval's party candidate Jude Celestin in first and second place, qualifying for the run-off.

Popular musician Michel Martelly was less than one percentage point behind in third place, but excluded from the run-off between the two top-vote winners.

Mr. Préval invited an Organization of American States (OAS) mission to assess the results, and its report, delivered 10 days ago, recommends putting Mr. Martelly in second place, thus eliminating Mr. Celestin, according to media accounts. These accounts say that Mr. Préval "has reservations" over the mission's findings.