Text of report by Kazakh Khabar TV on 8th September

[Presenter] The chairwoman of [Kazakhstan's] Central Electoral
Commission, Zagipa Baliyeva, met managers of local media today
[8th September]. The main conclusion that sounded from her lips
is that all media will have to reconsider their formats and
allot additional time for candidates' publications and
appearances in the run-up to the elections. As at today, there
are over 400 candidates. According to the [electoral] law, each
has a right to 15 minutes of airtime.

[Correspondent, over video of people in streets, electoral
law brochures, a meeting] The law on elections in the Republic
of Kazakhstan guarantees candidates for seats in parliament
equal conditions in the election campaign. As is known, the
campaign starts from the day a candidate is registered and
finishes at midnight on the day before the elections [day], at
2400 on 8th October, to be precise.

Each contender may make an appearance on the state-owned
media to put over his programme, paid for out of budget funds.
And it should be noted that the character and form of their
slot are determined by the candidates themselves.
[Zagipa Baliyeva, the chairwoman of Central Electoral
Commission, captioned speaking to camera, in office] You should
be prepared for the eventuality that the bulk of the candidates
and political parties will wish to publicize their programmes
and use their one 15-minute slot on TV- , on state TV, in the
last few days before polling day. Starting from sometime after
25th September, they will start plying all of you with requests
to put their slots into the broadcasting schedule and to
broadcast them. Of course, there will be both disputes and rows
. There will be complaints that they have not been granted
airtime.

[Correspondent] Baliyeva recommended that newspaper, TV
and radio editors should maintain special registers to keep
track of candidates' applications and requests and should cast
lots in disputed cases. In order to create equal conditions for
all candidates, editors will have to reconsider their own
formats, allot additional opportunities and time for airing
speeches.

As regards the political parties, their election compaign
should be funded from their parties' election compaign funds.
As at today, over 400 candidates to the republic's highest
legislative body have passed registration in the Central
Electoral Commission.

Source: Khabar TV, Almaty, in Russian 1430 gmt 08 Sep 99
BBC Mon CAU 090999/** VA/DG