Algerian President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika requested from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, African Union (AU) Commission President Alpha Oumar Konare and European Parliament Chairman Pat Cox, to consider sending international observers for the next presidential election. In his letter to the Kofi Annan, President Bouteflika, who described the next presidential election as "an event of the highest importance," added that "monitoring the electoral elections by a group of international observers, with an established integrity and impartiality, shall represent a very efficient means to reassure and encourage voters, and to add credibility to the election."
In his message to Amr Moussa, the President pointed out that "in addition to all the measures to be taken to guarantee the freedom, honesty and openness of the electoral operations, it seems to me that the voters' confidence will be strengthened by the presence of international observers, who would testify to the good unfolding of this election and the sincerity of the good results," APS reported.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
