ID :
48205
Sat, 02/28/2009 - 18:42
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/48205
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EU AWAITING GOVT INVITATION TO MONITOR ELECTION IN ACEH
Banda Aceh, Feb 28 (ANTARA) - The European Union (EU) is ready to monitor the legislative election in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province but is still waiting for the needed invitation from the Indonesian government, an EU spokesman said.
"We are ready to monitor the legislative election process in Aceh but so far we have yet to receive an invitation to do so from the Indonesian government," Harmut Nassuer, the leader of a European Parliamentary deelegation, said at a meeting with provincial administration officials here Saturday.
An the meeting hosted by the deputy secretary of the Aceh provincial administration, Husni Bahri TOB, members of the European Parliamentary delegation also expressed hope that the Aceh provincial administration would help prepare the necessary procedures for foreign observers.
To that end, Husni Bahri said, the provincial administration had sent a letter requesting the presence of foreign observers in Aceh to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
He said the request was directly conveyed by Governor Irwandi Yusuf to the president when the head of state visited the province on Monday, February 23, 2009.
"We have officially submitted the letter to the president but for its follow up to the European Union, the Aceh provincial administration cannot intervene in the central government's policy," Husni Bahri said.
He said the presence of foreign observers during the legislative election in April this year was necessary as the election in Aceh would be more complicated than in other provinces with the participation of six local Aceh parties in it.
In addition, the election also had the potential of affecting the ongoing peace process in the province, and therefore the participating parties should abide by the existing rules and regulations.
"We really hope that the legislative election in Aceh will run smoothly and peacefully because we do not want the democratic exercise to create new conflict in the province," Husni Bahri said.
The eight-man European Parliamentary delegation is visiting Aceh to obtain first-hand information on preparations for the election. It consists of legislators from Germany, Belgium, Lithuania, Romania, and Hungary.
They are scheduled to meet with Aceh government and Independent Aceh Election Commission officials, Aceh councilors, and leaders of the local political parties.
"We are ready to monitor the legislative election process in Aceh but so far we have yet to receive an invitation to do so from the Indonesian government," Harmut Nassuer, the leader of a European Parliamentary deelegation, said at a meeting with provincial administration officials here Saturday.
An the meeting hosted by the deputy secretary of the Aceh provincial administration, Husni Bahri TOB, members of the European Parliamentary delegation also expressed hope that the Aceh provincial administration would help prepare the necessary procedures for foreign observers.
To that end, Husni Bahri said, the provincial administration had sent a letter requesting the presence of foreign observers in Aceh to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
He said the request was directly conveyed by Governor Irwandi Yusuf to the president when the head of state visited the province on Monday, February 23, 2009.
"We have officially submitted the letter to the president but for its follow up to the European Union, the Aceh provincial administration cannot intervene in the central government's policy," Husni Bahri said.
He said the presence of foreign observers during the legislative election in April this year was necessary as the election in Aceh would be more complicated than in other provinces with the participation of six local Aceh parties in it.
In addition, the election also had the potential of affecting the ongoing peace process in the province, and therefore the participating parties should abide by the existing rules and regulations.
"We really hope that the legislative election in Aceh will run smoothly and peacefully because we do not want the democratic exercise to create new conflict in the province," Husni Bahri said.
The eight-man European Parliamentary delegation is visiting Aceh to obtain first-hand information on preparations for the election. It consists of legislators from Germany, Belgium, Lithuania, Romania, and Hungary.
They are scheduled to meet with Aceh government and Independent Aceh Election Commission officials, Aceh councilors, and leaders of the local political parties.
