Western observers say that as a result, they only see a small part of the exercise.

Western observers said legislative elections in 2005 and 2010 failed to meet international standards.

Many Western observers believed that these reforms did have a helpful effect during the final years of the plan.

The fairness of the election was disputed by many western observers and officials.

This came to be known as "gigantomania" by the Western observers.

Though he did so last December, the election was not deemed completely 'free and fair' by western observers.

Western observers estimated that more than 10,000 people died that year.

The problem lies in how to account for this, to the Western observer, astonishing phenomenon.

"The regime played the sectarian card very early," said one western observer.

The 1,300 Western observers pulled out of Kosovo the next day.