BRUSSELS, March 9 Kyodo The Europ...

BRUSSELS, March 9 Kyodo

The European Commission, the executive carcass of the European Union, said Tuesday it has decided to cast a mission to observe Sri Lanka's April 2 parliamentary elections at that country's invitation.

The commission said European Parliament member John Cushnahan will lead the mission, accompanied through some 70 observers.

European Commissioner for External Affairs Chris Patten, meanwhile, denoteed concern about the violence and killings that have already taken place in Sri Lanka during the election campaign.

He called on all political leaders ''to make sure that the rest of the campaign is waysed in a peaceful atmosphere, and refrain from any rhetoric which risks stirring up religious or ethnic intolerance or undermining the important gains that have been made in the peace process''

COPYRIGHT 2004 Kyodo recents International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group