The Government of EI Salvador has requested the United Nations to verify the elections and I understand that the United Nations Electoral Assistance Unit will shortly be issuing invitations to States, including Ireland, to send observers to the EI Salvador elections. I will propose that the Government responds positively to this invitation.
As regards the possibility of making a financial contribution to electoral education, the United Nations has informed me that it does not intend to get involved in this area. The United Nations Electoral Assistance Unit is of the view that there is adequate experience available in EI Salvador on the holding of elections. On this basis, I feel that the limited financial resources available to the development aid programme should be directed to priority areas.
The use of political violence in El Salvador and the recent killing of candidates in the forthcoming elections are matters of great concern to the Government. With our partners in the European Union we have condemned these incidents and have taken the matter up directly with the El Salvadorean authorities. The murders are currently under investigation by the United Nations. Members of the European Union have sent representatives of their police forces to assist the UN Observer Mission and the authorities in El Salvador in the conduct of these investigations.
