By KUNA
Brussels : The European Union welcomed Friday the public commitment made by President Pervez Musharraf that elections in Pakistan to National and Provincial Assemblies on 18 February will be held in a free, fair, transparent and peaceful manner.
The EU understands that technical preparations for the polls are on schedule, noted a statement by the EU Presidency held currently by Slovenia.
“The transparency of the electoral process will be essential to restoring public confidence and ultimate progress towards national reconciliation,” it stressed.
At the same time, said the statement “the EU has concerns about a number of issues relating to the conduct of the elections,” and urged the authorities to take all possible steps in the remaining days to improve the conditions in which the elections are being held.
The EU has deployed an Election Observation Mission to Pakistan which will offer an independent assessment of the conduct of the elections in accordance with international standards for democratic elections, it added.