§ Lord Windleshamasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have yet taken a decision on the invitation to send observers to the forthcoming Constituent Assembly elections in E1 Salvador.
§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Carrington)Subject to their being satisfied about security, Her Majesty's Government have now decided to send observers to monitor the electoral process in E1 Salvador.
The elections are to take place on 28th March. We are in touch with the Government of E1 Salvador about the precise arrangements. We envisage, however, that we shall send two official observers to E1 Salvador some time before the election day (28th March) to enable them to form a view of the election campaign and other preparations and that they will remain in E1 Salvador to see the poll take place, the votes counted and the result announced. We have not yet chosen observers but they will be of independent public standing and we will ask them to form their own conclusions about the elections in the light of their experience in E1 Salvador.
A copy of their report will be placed in the Library of the House and made public.