DEMOCRACY PROGRAM
ONE COPENHILL · 453 FREEDOM PARKWAY · ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30307 · (404) 420·5188 · FAX (404) 420·5196
December 2, 2009
Alfons Lopez Tena
Chief Executive Officer
Osona Decideix
To Alfons Lopez Tena:
Thank you for your letter to President Carter inviting The Carter Center to observe the upcoming referendum in Catolonia December 13, 2009. As you may know, the Carter Center uses several criteria to determine whether or not to observe an election. Generally, we only observe elections in countries where the elections represent a critical transition for the country, where it appears that the Center’s presence may be critical to the success of the election, and where the major political parties and the electoral authority request or welcome our involvement. In such circumstances, and depending on existing commitments, the time remaining before the elections, and available funding levels, the Center then decides whether to accept an invitation to observe the electoral process in question.
Given the short timeframe, as well as our ongoing involvement in Sudan, Bolivia, Cote d’Ivoire, Nepal and the Palestinian Territories, circumstances preclude us from accepting your invitation at this time. Nonetheless, we appreciate your interest in inviting international observers and in having explored a role for the Carter Center.
The Carter Center has collaborated with the United Nations Secretariat, the National Democratic Institute, the European Union, and other international election observers to adopt a Declaration of Principles and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers. This document was endorsed at the United Nations in New York on October 27, 2005. The Declaration provides important guidelines for election observers and stands as a common basis upon which all international observers may be accountable (the text is available in all official languages of the UN at www.cartercenter.org). Some of these endorsing organizations may have plans to observe the elections in Catalonia and could provide the independent and non-partisan evaluation that you seek.
The Center wishes the best for Catalonia and will continue to follow events with interest.
Sincerely,
Dr. David Carroll
Director
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