Text of report by the Kazakh news agency Interfax-Kazakhstan on
17th September

Astana, 17th September: Elections to the Senate (upper chamber)
of the parliament were held in Kazakhstan on Friday [17th
September].

The Central Electoral Commission told Interfax-Kazakhstan
news agency that Amangeldy Syzdykov had been elected Senate
deputy for Akmola Region, Idelbay Imankulov [deputy regional
governor] for Aktuybinsk Region, Nusupzhan Nurmanbetov for
Almaty Region, Askar Kuzhagaliyev for Atyrau Region, Zauresh
Battalova for East Kazakhstan Region, Omirbek Baygeldi [speaker
of the Senate] for Zhambyl Region, Rashid Akhmetov for West
Kazakhstan Region, Ualikhan Kaysarov for Karaganda Region,
Bakbergen Dosmanbetov for Kzyl-Orda Region, Yevgeniy Aman for
Kostanay Region, Mashanist Abylkhanov for Mangistau Region,
Sagyndyk Yesimkhanov for Pavlodar Region, Tasbay Simanbayev
[secretary of the parliamentary committee on international
affairs and security] for North Kazakhstan Region and
Kuanyshbek Bultayev for South Kazakhstan Region. Zhabaykhan
Abdildin [the chairman of the commission on human rights under
the president, Nursultan Nazarbayev] was elected senator in the
city of Almaty and Amanzhol Bulekpayev [mayor of Astana] in the
capital, Astana.

In all, 29 candidates stood for 16 seats in the upper
house, eight of whom were self-nominees, 21 were nominated at
sessions of maslikhats [local representative bodies of power].
In line with electoral legislation, senators are elected
at a joint session of deputies from district, city and regional
maslikhats of each region.

The Senate is formed on the principle of two deputies (one
of them on a rotational basis) from each of the 16
administrative and territorial units (14 Regions and two
cities: Astana and Almaty). Besides this seven senators are
nominated by the head of state [Nursultan Nazarbayev].
Elections both to the parliamentary Majlis (lower chamber)
and to maslikhats at all levels are scheduled for 10th October.
They will be held through a direct secret ballot by about 8.5m
voters of the republic's 15m population. As has been reported
earlier, 635 candidates are standing for 77 Majlis seats. In
all, 7,146 candidates have been registered for elections to the
maslikhats at all levels.

Source: Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency, Almaty, in Russian
1056 gmt 17 Sep 99
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