COLOMBO, Oct. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- The European Commission said Wednesday that it is deploying an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for Sri Lanka's presidential election scheduled for Nov. 17 at an invitation from the Sri Lankan government.

    According to a statement issued by the European Union (EU) in Brussels and available here, the EU EOM will be led by John Cushnahan, former member of the European Parliament.

    European Commissioner for External Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in the statement that it is crucial for the peace process in Sri Lanka that the forthcoming elections are seen as credible by all communities.

    "Our presence with long and short term observers will contribute to this goal. As a co-chair of the peace process and a major partner in tsunami and conflict reconstruction, it is essential in my understanding that the EU can further help advance democracy and stability in Sri Lanka," said Ferrero-Waldner.

    The mission composes 72 experts and the chief observer, and the core team of six experts has just arrived in Colombo, said the statement.

    The mission will issue a preliminary statement shortly after election day and a detailed final report a few weeks after the entire election process has been concluded, which will include recommendations for improving the election process, said the statement.

    The EU is one of the four co-chairs of the peace process in SriLanka and one of the major donors for development and reconstruction of the conflict areas in Sri Lanka's north and east. Enditem