Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says Ethiopia's disputed parliamentary elections were a significant advance for democracy, but acknowledged many problems with the vote.
Mr. Carter told reporters in Addis Ababa late Thursday that all political parties should now work together to create a better electoral system.
His organization, the Carter Center, sent election observers to monitor the May 15 elections. His Thursday statement said the elections introduced a "competitive electoral process" in Ethiopia. But it noted serious problems with how votes were counted in some regions, saying the process lacked credibility.
Official results showed President Meles Zenawi's ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party and allies won a majority in parliament. Opposition parties have rejected the results and threaten to boycott the legislature.
Some information in the story provided by AP.
