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by ajesh kadri on Jan 22, 2008 02:56 PM Permalink
of observers to monitor Pakistan's February 18 elections, European Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana has said.
Solana, who met President Pervez Musharraf [Images] on Monday, gave a blunt message to the Pakistani leader that any future cooperation will depend on holding of free and fair polls.
"Our message is clear. It is that the elections have to be fair, free and secure. We expect that a government conforming to the will of the people would be in place and continue reforms especially setting up rule of law," Solana said after lunch talks with Musharraf who was in Brussels on the first leg of his four-nation eight-day European trip.
"Our reaction on cooperation and the level of engagement will be in view of the result of the process," he added.
A team of EU election observers will be "on the ground" to monitor the elections, Solana said.
Musharraf told the EU that its election monitors were free to go around in Pakistan and observe the elections and were free to report from anywhere.
Addressing the European Parliament, Musharraf also sought to allay fears of its nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of extremists and criticised the West for questioning its commitment to the fight against terrorism.
"Stop criticising us. We are fighting the war on terror for ourselves, more than for anyone else," Musharraf said.
He asked the EU help in trade and investment, saying that investing in Pakistan's economy would wean the extremists from their violent paths
