The Hindu : E.U. to halve poll observer team to Pak.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 19, 2002

International

International

E.U. to halve poll observer team to Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD SEPT. 18. The European Union (E.U.) is believed to have decided to cut down by half the number of election observers it had planned to depute to oversee the October 10 general election in Pakistan.

According to diplomatic sources, the E.U. would now have around 70-odd observers as against 160 it had planned. The decision is reported to be on grounds of "security". The E.U. had contemplated deputing the largest ever contingent of observers to "monitor" the general elections in Pakistan. In the last few weeks, the E.U. has been engaged in a row with the Pakistan Foreign Office over issues related to security and their status. The issue was partly sorted out when the Pakistan Election Commission agreed to give them identity cards to enable them to travel without any hindrance and to interact with anyone.

But the biggest concern of the observers' mission is "security". The contention of the Foreign Office is that while observers were welcome, there could be no formal letter. "Security is a double-edged weapon. Once security is given according to their wishes, they should be prepared to be guided by considerations of security and it is not without problems.

They could turn around and accuse the Government of restricting their movements in the name of security'', said a senior official.

In August, Pakistan had frowned on the request made by the E.U. team for a formal invitation and special security to enable them to carry on their job without any hindrance.

The Foreign Office spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, had categorically ruled either signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) or a formal invitation to the E.U. team on the ground that "there is no need for such a thing''.

When reporters persisted with queries on the statements made by the chief of the advance team of E.U. observers on the need for a formal agreement with the Government, an angry Mr. Khan retorted saying, "Why don't they seek a formal invitation to observe elections in Occupied Kashmir''.

He made it clear that the team was in Pakistan on its own and there was no need to provide extra or special security arrangements. "They expressed a desire to come and we welcomed them. That is it'', he remarked.

The advance team has faced hostile reaction from some of the senior functionaries of the Musharraf Government.

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