"Having officially received the report of the OAS technical mission, the CEP must now honour its commitment to fully take into account the report's recommendations with a view to ensuring that the results of the elections truly reflect the will of the Haitian people," Mr. Le Roy said.

"Should the CEP decide otherwise, Haiti may well be faced with a constitutional crisis, with the possibility of considerable unrest and insecurity. At this critical juncture, it is vital that the CEP be allowed to carry out its work without political interference," he added, urging Member States to continue working with all parties "to ensure that CEP is able to steer the electoral process towards an outcome that is both credible and legitimate."

He told reporters afterwards that the 15-member body all agreed that the OAS mission's recommendations should be followed. "Everyone expressed the need that the will of the people be respected," he said.

In his briefing Mr. Le Roy noted that for the time being, the overall security situation remains calm despite sporadic instances of violence, and he mentioned the return from exile earlier this week of former president Jean-Claude Duvalier, which media accounts have cited as a possible destabilizing factor.

Earlier this week the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said there were major issues concerning human rights abuses that took place in Haiti during the 15 years that Mr. Duvalier was in power from 1971 to 1986.