Egyptian authorities are all but shrugging off European criticism of the parliamentary elections, Dina Ezzat reports "Expected" and "predictable" were two words used by two Egyptian diplomats in reply to a statement issued this week by the European Union on the Egyptian parliamentary elections that ended on Sunday. On Sunday evening, from her Brussels headquarters, Catherine Ashton, the high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, criticised the administration of the polls. "I was concerned by reports of irregularities, restricted access for independent observers and candidates' representatives in polling stations, media restrictions as well as arrests of opposition activists," said Ashton. The statement was issued from the Brussels headquarters of the European Union rather than the EU delegation in Cairo to avoid antagonising Egyptian authorities, as some European diplomats suggested. According to the statement, of which the Egyptian authorities received a copy, Ashton felt that the irregularities that marred the elections were not compatible with the assurances made earlier by the Egyptian government which had committed itself to a fair and transparent election. Ashton called on the Egyptian authorities to respond to concerns over the level of fairness and transparency of the elections and said the EU "will continue to call on the Egyptian government to permit domestic and international monitors to observe future elections, and remains ready to offer assistance in that regard." But in her statement, Ashton made a point of underlining the strong relationship between the EU and Egypt. She also stated that her statement was inspired by the democracy and human rights commitment made by Egypt in a cooperation agreement signed with the EU. The EU concerns came in the wake of claims made by some opposition groups criticising the conduct of the first and second round of the elections. Cairo-based European diplomats say they had expected some irregularities but not to the extent that prompted Egyptian right groups to call on President Hosni Mubarak to dissolve parliament and call for new elections. "We are not acting just upon what we saw but also upon what Egyptians said they saw," said one Cairo-based European diplomat. She added that the decision of the two major opposition blocs, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Wafd Party, to withdraw from the second round "is a serious issue and a serious indicator that cannot be overlooked". According to the same sources, the EU missions in Cairo will continue to monitor the outcome of complaints over the conduct of the elections and the government's response to those claims. The remarks made on Sunday by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif rejecting allegations of intervention are already being considered by some missions, as the sources suggest, as a sign that Egyptian authorities are not ready to give the allegations of rigging serious thought. "But we will wait, observe and see," said one.
