By IANS
New Delhi : The European Union is not keen to accept an invitation from Pakistan to observe January elections in that country as long as the emergency continues in force, the EU’s envoy to India Daniele Smadja said here Monday.
“The EU was invited to observe the January elections in Pakistan. We have put a decision on this on hold,” the EU envoy told reporters here at a press conference to announce the India-EU summit, to be held here Friday.
“The elections can’t be held in a free and fair manner if there is an emergency. We may also review development assistance to Pakistan,” she said.
“It’s a tricky situation. We don’t want to hurt the people of Pakistan but at the same time we want to send a strong signal about democracy in that country,” the envoy added.
“The situation in Pakistan is under very close scrutiny,” she said while underlining the need to restore democracy in that country.
President Pervez Muhsarraf imposed emergency in Pakistan Nov 3, citing increasing terrorist attacks in the country as one of the key reasons for doing so.
Portuguese ambassador Luis Felipe Castro Mendes, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, stressed on restoring democratic institutions in Pakistan.
“We want Pakistan to fully restore democracy and democratic institutions. We are watching the situation there with great interest and care,” Mendes said.
The security of EU monitors in Pakistan, which has been rocked by a series of terrorist attacks over the last several months, is also a key factor preventing the EU to send observers to Pakistan, an EU official told IANS.
Mendes also spoke about the need to restore democracy in Myanmar and explained the EU’s policy towards the predominantly Buddhist nation. “The EU has imposed sanctions on the government in Myanmar but we have agreed to give substantial help if the situation improves,” he said.