CANADA CRITICAL OF NICARAGUAN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001460 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN (ALBERT KRAAIMOORE) AND WHA/CAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV NU CA SUBJECT: CANADA CRITICAL OF NICARAGUAN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS REF: STATE 122262 ¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel demarche on November 18, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Nicaragua desk officer Sandy Ewart confirmed that Canada fully shares U.S. concerns regarding the November 9 Nicaraguan municipal elections. He noted that the Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica (which covers Nicaragua) had issued a press release on November 13 expressing its concerns over the elections. (Full text in para 2.) ¶2. (U) Begin Text Press Release Embassy of Canada San Jose, Costa Rica 13 November 2008 Canada Expresses Concern Over Nicaraguan Elections The Government of Canada expressed its concern over the incidence of violence, lack of national electoral observers and lack of transparency during the November 9th municipal elections in Nicaragua. Reports of intimidation, irregularities in voting procedures and counting on Sunday, as well as the violence which followed, resulting in loss of life, are particularly worrisome. The barring of independent observers during the election, which is critical to ensuring a transparent electoral process, is of particular concern. Canada joins the Organization of American States, the European Union, and the United States in their statements of concern over the election. Canada urges all parties to work openly and peacefully toward a just solution to the situation. It also strongly urges the Government of Nicaragua to uphold the principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and to ensure that the election results reflect the will of Nicaraguans. Canada actively promotes free and fair democratic processes in the Americas and strongly encourages consideration of proposals made by Nicaraguan civil society and religious leaders for re-assessing existing results with independent domestic and foreign observers. End text Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada WILKINS