Senator Páez highlights Iraq's out-of-country elections
The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Chilean Senator Sergio Páez, confirmed that the Iraqi elections held in 14 countries of the world were conducted with transparency and normalcy. The voting took place at the same time as the elections were being held in the Middle Eastern country itself. The Chilean legislator emphasised that despite the fact that there were just nine days to register and establish electoral rolls, 283,300 persons registered, or about 25 per cent of those eligible, and some 93 per cent of those registered actually voted.
El Mostrador (Chile) – 2 February 2005

"Process of Iraqi polls held in Iran satisfactory"
London(IranMania).-Secretary General of the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) Anders Johnsson, told Irna that the process of Iraqi parliamentary election in Iran is quite satisfactory. Johnsson added in his interview with the head of IRNA's Qom Bureau, "the level of participation of Iraqi compatriots at centres set up in Iran for the purpose is the highest compared to any other country which reveals that the Iranian officials in charge have made appropriate arrangements for the purpose". In response to a question on possibility of fraud in January 30th Iraqi parliamentary elections, he said “the supervision system monitoring the authenticity of elections is so strong that such possibilities are ruled out”.
IranMania News - 29 January 2005

Parliament President addresses parliamentary forum on Mediterranean security
Parliament President Ana Psarouda-Benaki addressed the Fourth Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean that is taking place in Nafplion, which is discussing the creation of a permanent forum for Mediterranean parliaments. In her address, Psarouda-Benaki stressed the need to accentuate efforts to create a Euro-Mediterranean free trade zone and to resolve security issues that have arisen in recent years. She noted that without a secure environment, it was inconceivable to expect Mediterranean countries to develop and their people to prosper; at the same, security could not be imposed by “raising walls or by the threat of arms procurements”, but arose “from the will of the people and the cooperation of governments”. She said that terrorism was a serious threat to humanity that was becoming particularly serious in the Mediterranean because of the fluidity of its political and socio-economic fabric. Saying that this “evil nightmare” must be stamped out, she stressed the need to address the roots of the phenomenon and try to deal with it using democratic processes, without jeopardising “our achievements in the area of political institutions and human rights”.
Athens News Agency (ANA) – 7 February 2005