A mission of the West African grouping ECOWAS, in Liberia to observe a presidential election, urged the losers Friday to accept the result "with dignity and grace" and winners to "acknowledge victory with humility."
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) panel described the presidential run-off in the west African state as "generally peaceful, free, fair and transparent."
The appeal came as Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf held an unbeatable lead with 59.4 percent of votes cast against 40.6 percent polled by her opponent George Weah.
Angry Weah supporters marched in protest against what they said were fraudulent results.
In a preliminary statement, the 45-member ECOWAS mission said that dialogue, reconciliation and unity were paramount in efforts to bring peace and development to Liberia, which has been wracked by civil war.
It called on "losers to accept the result with dignity and grace while the winners must acknowledge victory with humility."
Complaints about the election should be handled with due process to ensure fairness and justice for all the candidates and confidence in the electoral process, it said.
Thousands of Weah backers marched past the headquarters of the National Elections Commission, under heavy guard by riot gear-clad UN and national police officers, even as results from 97 percent of polling stations were announced.
The ECOWAS mission advised Liberians to focus on the "mammoth task of national reconstruction", such as the restoration of basic services, the rehabilitation of roads and the re-launching of the economy.
The mission also praised the Liberian people and the National Transitional Government of Liberia for their determination, positive spirit and commitment to the process as well as other institutions that worked tirelessly to ensure the successful conduct of the run-off election, the statement said.
"This election and the previous one of October 11 constitute remarkable landmarks in the process of achieving peace, stability, security and democracy in Liberia," the statement said.
The mission, led by a member of the ECOWAS Council of Elders, Ghana's Ebenezer Debrah, was drawn from member states, the ECOWAS Parliament, ECOWAS ambassadors and the ECOWAS secretariat.