Asso­ci­ated Press

The Orga­ni­za­tion of Amer­i­can States says it will mon­i­tor elec­tions in Haiti next year, but it won’t help orga­nize the votes.

The inter­na­tional body plans to send 80 observers for the Feb. 28 leg­isla­tive elec­tions and twice that for the pres­i­den­tial con­test expected later in the year.

The observers were requested by Pres­i­dent Rene Preval. But the OAS said Tues­day it will leave orga­niz­ing the vote to Haiti’s pro­vi­sional elec­toral coun­cil to strengthen the local institution.

Oppo­si­tion groups have crit­i­cized the coun­cil for deci­sions that they say favor Preval’s newly formed Unity party. Some are threat­en­ing to try to dis­rupt the elec­tions if the coun­cil is not replaced.

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1133705&lang=eng_news&cate_img=logo_world&cate_rss=WORLD_eng