Text of report by Kazakh Khabar TV on 17th August
The Civic Party of Kazakhstan and the Union of the Youth of
Kazakhstan held a news conference today [17th August]. Both had
the same purpose - [parliamentary] elections in autumn.
[Correspondent, over video of news conference by the Civic
Party] The first secretary of the Civic Party [Azat Peruashev]
did not disclose their main purpose: the number of candidates
they were planning to nominate for the Majlis of parliament and
who they were. They said they might nominate around 30 to 40
candidates on single mandate constituencies, but they did not
say anything about the party lists. On a more noteworthy
subject - members of the party are also planning to be
nominated on behalf of other movements. For example, the deputy
of the Majlis, (?Viktor Vesnin), who attended the news
conference along [with the Civic Party members] said he was
also going to support trade unions. Of course, as the trade
unions are not a party, they will not be included in the party
list. However, the first secretary of the Civic Party, Azat
Peruashev, said they would not join any bloc in the election
campaign: our members and candidates must give priorty to the
party's principles, he said. What was incomprehensible was that
Vesnin said some members of the Civic Party had already united
in alliance with the trade unions. So, does this mean that
Peruashev's words about party principles are nonsence? It does
not seem to be easy for some others [parties] to collect 4,5
million tenge fund for a candidate's election campaign. In
general, when asked who finances the party, a few unknown
companies were named. However, as it was clear right at the
beginning, they are hoping, in the first instance, for
production enterprises. As he said, money is not the first
thing here.

[Video shows the news conference by Union of the Youth of
Kazakhstan] Since the Union of the Youth of Kazakhstan is not a
party, it cannot run in the elections according to the party
lists. They agreed to nominate their candidates for single
mandate constituencies - a total of eight candidates.

Source: Khabar TV, Almaty, in Kazakh 1000 gmt 17 Aug 99
BBC Mon CAU 170899/** AJBA/QU