(Adds White House comment) WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday that Pakistan's election was a step toward the full restoration of democracy and urged all parties to accept the results and work together. Voters in Pakistan on Monday rejected the former ruling party of President Pervez Musharraf, raising doubts whether the U.S. ally who has ruled since 1999 can keep power in the nuclear-armed country. "Certainly we would want the election results to be respected by all parties. We certainly hope that as the process moves forward of forming a government, that everyone continues to remain calm and act in a peaceful way," U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said. The Pakistan People's Party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto emerged as the largest party in the 342-seat National Assembly but it does not have a majority and will need to seek coalition partners. Asked whether the election result lessened Musharraf's clout in Pakistan, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "We'll have to see." U.S. officials said, however, that by carrying out elections as promised, Musharraf had given a boost to democracy. Perino said the elections "seem to have been largely fair." "It is certainly clear that Pakistan has taken a step toward the full restoration of democracy," Casey said. Mindful the United States will be dealing with an altered Pakistani leadership, the White House voiced hope for continued cooperation on counterterrorism. Washington has considered Musharraf a bulwark against al Qaeda, though it has also pressured him for tougher action against the Islamist group behind the Sept. 11 attacks. "At the end of the day, we hope that they continue to work with us as partners in counterterrorism," Perino told reporters aboard Air Force One during President George W. Bush's Africa tour. "The threat from extremists is just as grave and very immediate for the people of Pakistan." Noting Musharraf was still president, Casey said "we certainly would hope that whoever becomes prime minister, and whoever winds up in charge of the new government, would be able to work with him and to work with all other factions" on the key issues facing the country. These issues were continuing political and economic reform, and confronting extremism and terrorism, Casey said. But he denied the United States was trying to be "presrciptive" and tell Pakistanis what to do."The political arrangements for the new government are things that the Pakistanis will have to work out. How they do, or don't, work with President Musharraf is for them to work out," Casey said. Earlier in Pakistan, Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari said Bhutto's party would try to form a coalition government without the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League. Casey said he believed the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, "had the opportunity to talk with Zardari" but was not aware of other U.S. contacts with main players. (Reporting by Sue Pleming, Susan Cornwell and Matt Spetalnick; editing by Mohammad Zargham)
Supporters of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto celebrate their victory in the general elections in Karachi February 19, 2008. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's opponents won a big election victory on Tuesday ...
