Ethiopian poll still queried

2005-09-01 10:16

Washington - The United States on Wednesday criticised "irregularities" in Ethiopia's contested parliamentary elections but called on all parties in the East African country to resolve their differences peacefully.

State department spokesperson Sean McCormack delivered the US position nearly a week after the European Union (EU) said the May 15 polls did not meet international standards in several key respects, including investigations into fraud.

"We would say that administrative and procedural irregularities - such as ballot shortages, slow lines and problems with voter registration lists - were observed in various locations," McCormack said.

Allegations of fraud, deadly protests

"There are ongoing mechanisms to look into these irregularities as well as resolve any questions surrounding those irregularities. And that process continues to move forward," he said.

Results giving a victory to the country's ruling party sparked complaints of massive fraud, many of which are still unresolved amid opposition threats to boycott parliament.

Protests turned deadly when police fired on crowds during demonstrations in the capital Addis Ababa on June 8, killing dozens of people. The violence led to a massive crackdown by authorities on opposition officials and supporters.

McCormack said while the irregularities were investigated, the US expected all parties to "work through future phases of the process, including the formation of a new government in a peaceful, transparent and democratic manner".

- AFP