The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

European Union (EU) Ambassador Dr Stefan Frowein yesterday said the EU is yet to take any decision on sending election observers to Bangladesh as they are waiting to get a signal from the government as to whether they are lifting the state of emergency in full or how far it is being relaxed to meet the conditions for free and fair elections.

He said this at a press meet with the members of Diplomatic Correspondents Association Bangladesh (DCAB) at Lakeshore hotel in the city.

Replying to a question Stefan Frowein, who is also the Head of the Delegation of European Commission, made it clear that the EU would not send election observers to Bangladesh in any situation.

"We (observers) will not come anyway. We want to come and will come when conditions are right," he said adding, "We are waiting for government decision on the state of emergency as we want restoration of civil and political freedoms to enable the EU to send its observers to Bangladesh."

Asked if the elections could not be held on December 18 and army takes over, Stefan Frowein said the EU would not support any coup or military rule.

Referring to the Chief Adviser's address to the nation where he stated that the government would lift the state of emergency or relax it as soon as possible, the EU diplomat said they want to know how far the emergency rules would be relaxed.

He observed that if full lifting of the emergency were not possible, it would be tough to the government to create a conducive climate for holding the forthcoming polls in a free, fair and credible manner.

The EU Ambassador said on principle the EU does not send its observers to observe elections to any country where state of emergency is in place as the emergency denies people scope for voting freely.

He, however, observed the state of emergency in Bangladesh is not like the state of emergency in Pakistan and other countries. "It is a different emergency. Here emergency is formally in place but with some relaxations that already exist," he added.

Asked when the EC will take its decision as to whether or not to send the election observers, he said in next 2-3 weeks.

Stefan Frowein explained that the EU has three components, including selecting a chief observer, a 10-member technical team and a 40-member delegation, who go to any country at least four weeks before the election.

There will be short-term 100 observers who will come 4-5 days ahead of the election. The EU observers will examine the climate before the elections, during the elections and after the elections and issue a statement on the fairness of the vote at the end of the day, he said.

He said the EU needs adequate time to organise the full Election Observation Mission. He did not say the cut-off date for sending the observers but said it would be convenient for them to take the decision by end of October or early November.

Asked what would be the credibility of the elections if not observed by the EU, the Ambassador said the credibility of the elections would be less in a sense that people would question as to why the EU could not observe the polls.

Dr Frowein welcomed the government move for continuing dialogue with political parties and congratulated the Election Commission (EC) for accepting most of 50 recommendations from the EU after cancellation of the last general election.

DCAB president Masud Karim presided over the briefing and general secretary Raheed Eajaj made the welcome address.

Earlier, the Ambassador made a statement on European Security and Defence System and EC Political and Press Councilor Charles Whiteley made a video presentation on it.