Summary: July 31, 2001: EU to observe elections for a Constituent Assembly in East Timor (Brussels)
The European Commission has today adopted a decision to fund an EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) to monitor the forthcoming elections for a Constituent Assembly in East Timor. These elections are to be held on 30th August 2001. Wolfgang Kreissl-Doerfler MEP has been appointed as the Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission. The Commission funding also provides for voter education actions to facilitate the full participation of the local population in these, the first free
elections in East Timor. The EC funding decision represents a commitment of €1M from the EC budget.
These elections are a first major step in the establishment of democracy in East Timor. The Constituent Assembly will be responsible for writing and adopting a Constitution for an independent and democratic East Timor. The decision to send observers follows an invitation to the EU from the United Nations Transitional Administration for East Timor (UNTAET) supported by the major local political parties. These are the first elections to be held in East Timor. Support for voter education, and with
the administration of the election, will be especially important to help to create an environment conducive to the long-term establishment of democracy in East Timor. This is in line with the EU's policy of strengthening local capacities for election management and observation. The presence of international observers could also help reduce the incidence of violence and inhibit abuses of the electoral process, thereby contributing to increased confidence in the results of the elections.
The EU will therefore field an election observation mission (EOM) with a strong component of Short Term Observers (STOs) to concentrate on observing the last 5 days of the electoral campaign, the counting of votes and the preparation of the results in the 12 days after the election. Election campaigning began on 15th July and the voter education actions have already begun. One expert is already in East Timor preparing for the arrival of the main group of observers in mid/late August. The EOM
will be composed of a Core Team (4 experts) and 26 STOs drawn from the EU Member States, making a total of 30 observers. The EU mission will work in close co-ordination with UNDP/UNTAET who have overall responsibility for administering the electoral process on behalf of East Timor.
Wolfgang Kreissl-Doerfler MEP will be Chief Observer of the EU Mission to East Timor. Previously, he has observed elections in Angola in 1992 on behalf of the UN, and in Mexico last year for the European Parliament. Mr. Kreissl-Doerfler is Vice-President of the European Parliament's Delegation on Central America and Mexico. He is also a member of the European Parliament's Committees on Development Co-operation, Agriculture, and Industry and Trade.
Further information on EU relations with East Timor can found at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/east_timor/intro/index.htm
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