http://www.gateway2russia.com/art.php?artid=256709&rubid=&parent=&grandparent=
05 November 2004 13:08 Russian election boss takes dim view of US local laws "obstructing" observers International observers at the USA elections were supposed to perform their duties without being obstructed, but they were not allowed into some polling stations in a number of states, the head of the Russian Central Electoral Commission [CEC], Aleksandr Veshnyakov, said today in a comment on the progress of the US elections posted on the CEC web site. "The election law in some states does not envisage the presence of international observers at polling stations," Veshnyakov said. "Federal officials were just shrugging their shoulders," he added. "These cases cause at least some bewilderment: the government invites foreign observers, and then they are faced with obstructions and cannot do their job," Veshnyakov said. An OSCE observers mission was invited to the 2004 US presidential elections for the first time ever in the country's history. However, according to Veshnyakov, the US political elite had a "diverse attitude towards this initiative". In particular, there have been utterances that international observers from Europe are a humiliation for the USA and its democracy. On the other hand, it was said that while carrying out its international obligations, the USA should be open to other countries, including to foreign election observers. Especially given that the "US observers themselves very actively take part in watching other countries' elections", Veshnyakov said. Besides, we are talking "not only about control of how international standards are maintained in the sphere of elections, but also about sharing experience and information", he stressed. Veshnyakov visited the USA at the invitation of the International Foundation of electoral systems. Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow BBC Monitoring On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 11:45:23 -0800 (PST), Sam Morris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20041105-11.html > > --- "Larry C. Lyons" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Nope. The Bush administration refused to let them > > have access, and > > last September several republican congress critters > > tried to enact > > legislation bannign international election monitors > > from observing the > > election. > > > > larry > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > The all-new My Yahoo! - What will yours do? > http://my.yahoo.com > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:138069 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
