At UN, US envoy Rice fears ‘much is awry’ with upcoming election in Sudan
By APThursday, April 8, 2010
At UN, US envoy says Sudan election going ‘awry’
UNITED NATIONS — U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice says “much is awry” with Sudan’s election process despite the nation’s assurances that it will hold fair balloting this month.
She told reporters that “the trends on the ground are very disturbing” after hearing a closed-door briefing by U.N. peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy on Sudan’s first multiparty elections in more than two decades, set to begin April 11.
Rice said the United States would favor delaying the vote because of restrictions on civilians, media harassment, too few polling places and other constraints on registering people to vote.
Le Roy said it will be up to the Sudanese and international election observers to assess the results.
Sudan’s Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamed promised “fair, transparent and successful” elections.
