The United Nations Security Council said Friday it looks forward to working with the newly re-elected government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

In a statement issued after a briefing by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the council called on Mr. Karzai to improve security, promote good governance and fight corruption and the narcotics trade.  Mr. Ban visited Afghanistan earlier this week.

Also on Friday, Mr. Ban said only 200 U.N. staff members would be temporarily relocated either within Afghanistan or abroad after last week's Taliban attack on a U.N. guest house in the capital, Kabul.  Five U.N. employees were killed.

The head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan (Kai Eide) said Thursday more than 600 non-essential staff would be moved.  

Mr. Ban also the U.N. is taking steps to improve security for all of its staff in Afghanistan, and that the world body has no intention of abandoning Afghanistan.

Violence has escalated in Afghanistan during the past year, and there is also deep concern about the effects of August's fraud-ridden presidential election on the already weak central government.