EU to assess pre-poll situation

The European Commission (EC) expects an announcement from the caretaker government soon about lifting or relaxing the state of emergency as a 10-member core team from Brussels comes here on November 6 to assess the pre-poll situation.
“Our position has not changed. The team will talk to as many people as possible, including press, political parties and election officials, to assess the political situation and report back to Brussels whether or not a full-fledged observation mission will come,” EC Ambassador Stefan Frowein said yesterday.
He said the EC headquarters will take the right decision as to whether or not they will send full observation mission to Bangladesh to monitor the December 18 parliamentary polls.
Frowein made the remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting with Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury at the foreign ministry.
Asked if he received any assurance about lifting or relaxing the emergency, he said information continues to be that there will be relaxation or lifting as soon as possible, and “we will see some announcement from the government very soon”.
To another question the envoy said a 10-member core team will come here on November 6 and 12 long-term observers will be here a week later.
“Again I tell you this is an assessment team. They are not full observer mission. The full observation mission can come after lifting or relaxing the emergency,” he said.
Frowein said they will still be hoping to hear about 'some convincing' measures to relax or lift the emergency.
He told a correspondent that they are very confident that relaxation will take place and the conditions were right for free and fair elections.
About political parties' applications for getting registered with the Election Commission, the European diplomat said this is going to be a step forward and more steps to come. But, this is an important step forward.
Later, Iftekhar hinted that the emergency rules may be relaxed during the stay of EC observers in Bangladesh who will come on November 6.
He said the government was encouraged by the enthusiasm displayed by political parties in connection with their registration.
"It is our firm intention to have an election that is free, fair, and credible, and that is also to everyone's interest,” he said.
Iftekhar mentioned the chief adviser's announcement that anything that impedes the process would be removed, and “the extent of the emergency will also be relaxed accordingly”.