Former US president Jimmy Carter on Friday expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing election process in Ethiopia, which will hold parliamentary elections Sunday.

Carter, who arrived here on Thursday to observe the third federal and regional parliamentarians' elections in Ethiopia, told journalists that the election process is going in a "fair and honest" mood.

"We have been encouraged very much so far. For the first time, over 300 international observers have been deployed in this country. Let them observe the election and come out with their findings. This is a good activity to make the election fair and free," Carter said.

Carter, who is accompanied by his wife, indicated that massive rallies both by the opposition parties and the ruling party were peacefully held in the past months as part of the election campaign.

He said that the Carter Center, headed by him, would observe the election process in the presence of its 50 observers.

"All these observers would report their findings to me from where they are observing the election. If there would be a problem in the process we would denounce it immediately by giving a press conference and discuss with NEBE (National Electoral Board of Ethiopia). We don't want to give a prejudge about the outcome of the election," he added.

Carter, who is expected to meet with Ethiopian officials, including Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, also indicated that it is too early to make any judge concerning the allegations that have been reported time and again by the opposition parties.

The former US president is expected to visit around 40 or 75 different poling stations in Addis Ababa and on its outskirts on Sunday while the rest 50 observers would observe in many poling stations throughout the country.

Carter is expected to meet with the opposition parties' representative on Saturday in Addis Ababa.

He also promised that a non-biased and fair report would be issued at the end of the election by the Carter Center.

Around 26.5 million people have registered to cast their ballots on Sunday in the country's more than 38,000 poling stations.