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HONDURAN ENVOY URGES ENTRENCHMENT OF DEMOCRACY

  July 11, 2002

Ambassador Salvador Rodezno, thanked the Organization of American States (OAS) for the final report presented today by the Electoral Observation Mission that monitored the November 25, 2001 presidential elections in Honduras, and underscored the need for political and electoral reforms for a stronger democratic system.

He said his government has approached the OAS seeking assistance from the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD) to implement reforms relating to decentralization, citizen security, political parties, the legislature and the electoral system.

The Ambassador reiterated President Ricardo Maduro's firm commitment to effectively combat corruption to ensure good governance, and to undertake comprehensive legislative and institutional reforms to make the public service more transparent.

Elizabeth Spehar, who led the OAS Observation Mission, described the Honduran electoral process as unquestionably democratic. She did agree that reforming the political constitution needed to be discussed in order to change, among others, the structure, functions and powers of the electoral machinery.

Spehar insisted that in the wake of political, economic and social crises in the region, the OAS needs more than ever to effectively meet the member states' need for assistance to strengthen their electoral process, through the UPD.

She touched as well on the critical need for funding for electoral observation missions, through contributions to the voluntary fund set up for that specific purpose.

Reference: E-141/02