EUROPEAN OBSERVERS EXPECT SERIOUS PROGRESS

Yerkir
10.01.2008 16:43

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Representatives of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic
Institutes and Human Rights told a news conference on January 10 that
they are beginning the monitoring of the February 19 presidential
election in Armenia.

"The election results are not in our mandate if the election was held
properly," Ambassador Gert-Henrich Arens said. The mission will publish
its final report two months after the election results are announced,
and will publish two other interim reports during that period. He said
the media’s role is very important. He also said he hoped Armenia would
show progress in this election, saying the monitoring will be conducted
in the same manner as it was in the May parliamentary election.

The mission comprises 11 key specialists, working in Yerevan and
28 long-term observers who will be sent to the regions on January
15. The observers represent 22 countries of the OSCE. He also said
that about 250 short-term observers will arrive in Armenia soon to
monitor the 1,923 polling stations. Arens noted that the media is
not covering the presidential candidates equally.

The mission members have met with Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian and the Central Electoral Commission chairman, Garegin
Azarian, and have expressed wish to meet all nine presidential
candidates.