"I think what I want to see in Bangladesh is a recognition by two party leaders that working together on some issues is very important," he said in an interview with UNB at his office.

"If the two party leaders are seen to be working together on some issues that can engender confidence of the whole country. They are both partisan people, but there are some issues when by working together you can get a better result for the whole country," he said.

McKinon visited Dhaka in January and met both government and opposition leaders. He told the leaders that the Commonwealth would be sending an assessment mission in a couple of months to make a judgment on quality and transparency of electoral roll, look into problems in previous elections and to see if those were corrected.

On the basis of report of the assessment mission, the election observers will be sent to Bangladesh about three weeks ahead of the vote, he said.

Mckinon, however, said it is very difficult to find good people with experience in election monitoring for a long-term period. Several observers have been selected. In Dhaka, they will talk to the Election Commission, political parties and other people concerned during the pre-election assessment.

Stressing the need for an independent election commission, the secretary general said, "We have conveyed a clear message to the government that we want to see a fully independent election commission."

He said alongside the Commonwealth election observers the European Union and the UN will also send observers to monitor the upcoming elections through discussion and coordination among them.

The secretary general said the Commonwealth might provide technical assistance, if needed, on the basis of the report of the assessment mission to help stage free

and fair polls.

Asked his opinion about the opposition proposals for reform of caretaker government, McKinon said every system can be improved with consent of the people.

He said Sheikh Hasina gave him a copy of her reform proposals during his meeting in Dhaka. "I think both sides want the system to work, not to destroy," he

said, adding that caretaker system that attained more than 10 years should continue to enjoy the people's confidence as before.

Asked about any mediation from the Commonwealth to resolve the disputes between the two parties over the reforms, Mckinon said the Commonwealth is always ready to assist any member-country on request of all parties concerned.

"We are always ready to help when Commonwealth enjoys support of all political parties, not one party," he said and recalled Commonwealth envoy Sir Ninian's

initiative to mediate between BNP and Awami League to break a deadlock over the caretaker system in the late 90s.

The secretary general appreciated Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's move for talks on the opposition's reform proposals.