An Arab League monitoring team will be overlooking the presidential elections in Tunisia that will be held Sunday, a league official said Wednesday.
Ahmed Bin Hali, the assistant league secretary for political affairs, will head the team which is to travel to Tunisia on Thursday.
"We will be monitoring the elections upon Tunisia’s request, a move that was greatly welcomed by Secretary Amr Mousa," Hali told reporters.
He said the mission will be conducted over six days during which observers will be overlooking elections in the capital, Tunis, as well as the country’s largest cities and towns.
"The team will also submit a detailed report on the elections to the secretary-general of the Arab League," he said, stressing the neutrality and objectivity of the monitors.
Three candidates, including President Zineddine Bin Ali, will be competing for Tunisia’s top post.
Projections suggest that Bin Ali stands a great chance to be elected for a new and fourth five-year term, following his bloodless coup against late President Habib Bourguiba in 1987.
Opposition parties and Tunisian human rights groups charged that the government is involved in widespread fraud and vote rigging to secure Bin Ali’s victory.

The Washington Post
Cairo (UPI) - 20 - 10 - 2004