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Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau: Observers give election clean bill of health

BISSAU, 30 November 1999 (IRIN) - International observers expressed satisfaction on Monday at the conduct of Guinea-Bissau's presidential and legislative elections.

The polls were held in "an atmosphere of civism, calm, serenity, transparency and fairness" despite the late opening of many polling stations due to logistical problems that delayed the distribution of voting material, the observers said in a communique.

The logistical problems led to the postponement of voting from Sunday to Monday in some areas.

Around 80 international observers monitored the polls. They came from Angola, Cape Verde, the Comunidad de Paises de Lingua Portuguesa (CPLP), Denmark, la Francophonie, The Netherlands, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

[ENDS]

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Item: irin-english-2082

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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 1999