HEAD OF THE OSCE/ODIHR MISSION HOPES TO SEE PROGRESS AT THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA
armradio.am
10.01.2008 17:42
Head of the long-term observation mission of the OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) in Armenia,
Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens stated in Yerevan today that "after
the presidential elections of February 19 we hope to register Armenia’s
further progress in making the election process meet the international
standards."
Fourteen groups of long-term observers will work over the whole
territory of Armenia. It is expected that on the day of elections
the number of short-term observers from the OSCE will reach 250,
not counting the representatives of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
and the Council of Europe.
"I believe that we will have enough people for carrying out observation
of the elections in Armenia," Geert-Hinrich Ahrens stated. The Head
of the mission said that he had already met the Minister of Foreign
Affairs and the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia
and had agreed on holding weekly meetings with the leadership of the
Foreign Ministry and the CEC. Geert-Hinrich Ahrens stated that he
intends to meet all nine presidential contenders.
Before the elections, the OSCE ODIHR mission will present two interim
reports. The preliminary conclusion, as usual, will be publicized
the following day after the elections, and the final report – in the
course of two months after the elections.
Asked about the importance of the exit-polls planned to be held
on the day of elections upon the initiative of the US government
Geert-Hinrich Ahrens stated: "We will consider the data of exit-polls
as one of the sources of information, however we will not take these
as a basis for predicting the election results."
Geert-Hinrich Ahrens noted that today the OSCE ODIHR mission will
start the monitoring of the electronic and print media of Armenia. He
stressed that "the media sometimes play a decisive role in securing
democratic elections."
Geert-Hinrich Ahrens refused to make any comments concerning the
pre-election situation, noting that the mission has been working in
Armenia for two days only.