BRUSSELS—The European Union has canceled its observers mission for Egypts upcoming presidential vote, citing local administrative obstacles that made it impossible for the bloc to send key equipment to their team of monitors. The decision is likely to provoke fresh concerns in the EU about Egypts political situation and the free and fair nature of the coming vote. Egypt holds its presidential vote later this month—the first since the ousting of former Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi by the military last summer. The EU had started deploying observers on the ground in the second half of April following an invitation by Egypts authorities to oversee the vote, the bloc said. It has some 40 people on the ground at present in its team, according to officials. In a statement Saturday, the EU said the bloc was unable to ensure the monitors were able to perform their job properly despite our best efforts. However, the bloc said for now, it is willing to keep some observers in Egypt to participate in a more limited mission led by a European lawmaker. The mission will be restricted to Cairo. The bloc called on Egypts interim authorities to facilitate that more limited mission. Badr Abdel Atty, a spokesman for Egypts ministry of foreign affairs, said he understood that the EU would be reducing its staff deployment in Egypt but not withdrawing its mission entirely. But he had no comment on the reasons for the EUs drawdown. Its completely up to them, he said of the EU move. An EU official gave more detail, saying monitors were due to be deployed across the country. Unfortunately, for administrative reasons, despite our best efforts and repeated requests, it proved impossible to have the telecommunication equipment and medical kits essential to ensure the security and safety of observers released on time, the official said. It is now too late for the long-term observers to conduct a meaningful observation. While the official didnt say whether the EU believed Egypts authorities had deliberately undercut the mission, the decision to cancel the mission is highly unusual. The EUs withdrawal as monitors strips what little international legitimacy the presidential poll had left. U.S. monitoring agencies havent agreed to monitor the vote. The EU currently has ongoing election missions in countries like Guinea Bissau, Malawi, and Maldives, where it hasnt encountered significant problems. The EUs ties with Egypts new authorities have been lukewarm at best. The bloc didnt condemn last years military intervention but had developed close ties at one stage with Mr. Morsi. Some member states, however, were outspoken in opposing Mr. Morsis ousting. In February, EU foreign ministers released a statement that criticized a number of actions by Egypts authorities and urged the country not to exclude any party from the coming elections—a clear reference to the Muslim Brotherhoods political wing. The EU said it is concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation, including the indiscriminate detention of political opposition and activists. It deplored the deteriorating climate for the press and expressed concerns about selective justice. Egypts foreign ministry slammed the statement as interference in the countrys internal affairs. The spat came ahead of a visit to Cairo a few weeks later by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. Egypts new authorities have called on the bloc to more fully support their moves against the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups, saying they are acting against terrorism.
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 12:29:49 +0000
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