UN Security Council delays Congo session amid vote counting

The UN Security Council has put off a planned session on Congo and its closely watched presidential election as the country continues waiting for delayed results.

A council discussion initially set for Tuesday was postponed to Friday after Congolese officials indefinitely postponed the release of the first results. They had been due Sunday.

The council has been keenly following the long-awaited election in a country where the UN operates one of its biggest peacekeeping missions.

But there have been differences in the council over sending a collective message about the December 30 election, diplomats said. A closed-door discussion last week spanned two hours but yielded no joint statement.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday the UN is looking forward to "the timely publication" of provisional results. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric also reminded everyone with a stake in the outcome to respect Congo's electoral laws and "help maintain an environment free of violence."