PREVIOUS / NEXT PAGE:3/8

In September, Mr. Im Suosdey, Secretary General of the National Election committee of Cambodia (NEC), informed the Honorable Bishnu Pratap Shah, Chairman of the AAEA that he NEC has voted to apply for membership in the AAEA. The Secretariat was pleased about the NEC’s decision, and looked forward to a long and fruitful relationship. The Executive Board of the AAEA set for formal discussion the NEC’s membership at its next meeting in Spring 2000.

According to the AAEA’s procedures, the next Executive Board meeting must be held in the year 2000. The Executive Board proposed at its last meeting that the next one be held in May 2000. Among the issues that will be discussed are Cambodia’s membership, the location of the permanent Secretariat, membership dues, and the establishment of an active on-line community.
In 1999, the first Executive Board Meeting was held on March 5 with the following attendees: Nepal, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Taiwan sent two other observers. The discussion focused on the obstacles in maintaining and developing the AAEA due to lack of continuous and diversified funding. Wanting to set the dues at a level that would no be a financial burden to the Election Commission of each country, they maintained the US$500 a yea rate as approved in the 1998 conference.