Cablegate: Cne Invites Eu Electoral Observers

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INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

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TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM AO
SUBJECT: CNE INVITES EU ELECTORAL OBSERVERS

1. (SBU) On Monday, March 3rd the National Electoral
Commission (CNE) formally invited the European Union to
observe Angola parliamentary elections currently slated for
September 5-6, 2008. In a March 6 conversation with the
Ambassador, European Commission Head of Delegation Joao
Gabriel Ferreira said that the EU will send a nine-member
advance team to Angola in mid-May to sort out details of the
observation mission. CNE President Caetano de Sousa also
told Ferreira that other groups would be invited to observe;
however, he did not specify which groups.

2. (SBU) COMMENT: This long-awaited invitation is a positive
indicator that the September elections remain on track. It
also appears to have come in time for the EU to mount a
comprehensive observation effort. We also expect a team from
the Carter Center to visit Angola later this month to test
the water and assess whether it will work to observe the
elections. END COMMENT
MOZENA

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