The rival candidates for the second round of Guinea's presidential election, due on September 19, signed Friday an accord committing themselves to a 'peaceful political campaign'. The vote in the west African nation, which has thus far known only military or despotic rule, will pit Cellou Dalein Diallo, who won 43.69 percent of the first round results, against veteran opposition figure Alpha Conde who took 18.25 percent of the vote. The two candidates on Friday signed a six-page 'protocol of understanding for a peaceful election in Guinea' in the presence of Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore, mediator in the Guinean crisis which began with a military coup in 2008 on the death of hardline ruler Lansana Conte. The first round of the presidential poll which took place on June 27 was marred by cases of fraud that led to many checks before the official results could be announced. In the accord Diallo and Conde 'undertake to lead a peaceful political campaign, with mutual respect and in line (...) with the code of good conduct to which they are parties, in order to preserve the cohesion and unity of the country.' They also agreed scrupulously to respect the outcome of the vote. The rival leaders stressed their 'respect for the independence' of the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) and pledged to 'resort exclusively to legal means for any reclamation that they might formulate after the provisional announcement of the results.' Finally, they promised to 'take necessary measures to ensure that their activists accept' the outcome of the vote. 'We have just signed a document of great value which, if it is put into practice, will enable Guinea to come out of this transition in a satisfactory and democratic fashion,' Diallo told journalists. 'We presented our wishes to the president (Compaore) and we agreed that the electoral roll should be available on the Internet,' Conde said. 'Once we are agreed on these different points which should be effective and not just on paper, I think the election will take place properly.' Compaore said that both candidates had a 'historic role' to play and expressed the wish for 'this contest with high stakes to take place in a peaceful fashion, in the interest of the stability and unity of Guinea.' 