UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned about "the potentially destabilizing effects" of Monday's referendum in the Kurdish region of Iraq.

"The secretary-general respects the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Iraq and considers that all outstanding issues between the federal government and the Kurdistan regional government should be resolved through structured dialogue and constructive compromise," Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The secretary-general expects that UN-mandated activities across Iraq, including in the Kurdistan region, will be allowed to continue unhindered.

He calls upon relevant authorities to continue with their support, said the statement.

The Iraqi Kurds on Monday ended their vote in a referendum to determine whether the Kurdish region and the disputed areas will become independent. According to the regional electoral committee, the results of the referendum will be announced within two or three days.