EU observers on exploratory Lebanon mission

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 10/03/05

AN EU delegation will travel to Lebanon later this week to assess the possibility of sending election observers to May's parliamentary elections, to underpin the country's delicate democratic transition.

Three weeks of mass demonstrations since the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri have caused political turmoil in the country once rocked by 15 years of civil war.

The EU team will arrive in Beirut on Friday, according to Patrick Renauld the head of the European Commission's delegation in Lebanon. "It will be an exploratory mission to assess the possibility of sending monitors, if the Lebanese government asks," he said.

The pro-Syrian government led by Omar Karami, which resigned last week after massive protests, had opposed the EU sending election observers. But the interim government, which is expected to emerge in the coming days, may well call on the EU for help to ensure that the elections are free and fair.

The Union hopes the presence of its monitors will discourage fraud and malpractice. To that end it is likely to press Lebanon's interim government to request the observation mission, offering the prospect of better terms under an EU-Lebanon agreement, which is to be negotiated soon.

Many European policymakers are looking to the EU's experience in Ukraine, a country that was also in the throes of elections at the same time as negotiating a 'joint action plan' with the EU.

Although the Commission recently approved a country plan for Lebanon - the precursor to negotiations - talks are unlikely to resume until a permanent government is put in place.

"I don't think we will be able to start before the elections," said Renauld.

The EU's experts travelling to Lebanon later this week will assess the technical aspects of carrying out the mission and will report back to member states. A political decision is expected soon after the interim government is formed.

Preview of a visit to Lebanon by an EU delegation on 11 March 2005 to assess the possibility of sending election observers to May's parliamentary elections, to underpin the country's delicate democratic transition. Three weeks of mass demonstrations since the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri had caused political turmoil in the country once rocked by 15 years of civil war.