ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said it would welcome a European Union election observation mission during general election in May 2013.
“Yes, we will welcome the observation mission,” Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani said. The offer was made yesterday by the Council of the European Union in its conclusions on Pakistan. It said it was ready to assist by deploying a mission, as a tangible sign of its support for Pakistan’s democratic process, and looks forward to holding the third summit meeting with the new government.
The EU reiterated commitment to widening relations. It highlighted the importance of the election in an environment free from intimidation and coercion and said it looked forward to peaceful, credible, transparent and inclusive election acceptable to people.
They should, for the first time, enable the transition of power from one elected government to the next under the Election Commission, it said, adding that the EU was looking forward to cooperating with the new government. Internews
