DRC ELECTIONS: EU PRAISES CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001703 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: EU PRAISES CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS REF: A. KINSHASA 1673 ¶B. KINSHASA 1677 ¶C. KINSHASA 1683 ¶D. KINSHASA 1694 ¶1. (U) The European Union Electoral Mission released a preliminary statement regarding the October 29 DRC election on November 1. It praised the elections as peaceful and orderly, and highlighted the organizational effectiveness of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI). The EU mission deployed more than 300 observers from EU member states, in addition to Norway, Switzerland, and Canada, in over 1000 polling stations in all eleven DRC provinces. An eight-member EU parliamentary delegation also signed the Electoral Mission statement. ¶2. (U) The EU mission noted that the vote "should enable naming a first democratically-elected president." It stated its legal team was generally satisfied that the election met international standards, and praised the CEI for actions since the first-round July 30 election to improve the transparency of the process. It noted "several serious incidents" in Equateur province and in Ituri District (reftels),as well as the rainstorms that affected part of the country, and occasional logistical problems. It also cited the high number of party witnesses and Congolese observers during the vote. ¶3. (U) The mission regretted the lack of active campaigning by the two presidential candidates and a "deleterious" environment marred by a number of violent incidents between their partisans. It criticized "flagrant violation" of Congolese law and candidate agreements by major media outlets that left them almost exclusively as mouthpieces for one or other of the presidential candidates. It cited in particular "hate messages" and incitements to violence. It also regretted cancellation of the planned presidential debate. ¶4. (U) The EU mission continues to follow the compilation of results in 43 of the 62 compilation centers nationwide and will release its final conclusions and recommendations at the end of the electoral process. MEECE