The European Union (EU) is deploying an EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the Indonesian Province of Aceh to observe the local elections that will take place on Dec. 11, European Commission (EC) announced on Thursday.

The EU made the deployment following the invitation from the Government of Indonesia, and the mission is headed by Glyn Ford, Member of the European Parliament, according to the EU's executive arm.

"These elections in Aceh mark another important step in the consolidation of the peace process to which the EU remains firmly committed," said EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

"That is why, following the invitation of the Indonesian government, I have decided to deploy a mission to express our continuous and strong support to peace, development and democracy in the province of Aceh," she added.

The core team of the EU's mission, consisting of the Chief Observer and seven experts, arrived in Aceh early November.

From Thursday, 33 long-term observers will observe the campaign period and pre-election preparations throughout Aceh, as well as the Election Day and the post-election period.

A total of 40 short-term observers, including diplomats from EU Member States' embassies in Jakarta, will observe voting, counting of ballots and the compilation of results.

The EU's mission will be in Aceh until early January and will return in case the elections require a second round early in 2007.

The EC is making available € 2.4 million (around US$3 million) to meet the costs of deploying this mission.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2006)