Text of report by the Kyrgyz news agency Kabar on 5th January
 
 
Bishkek, 5th January: Another political bloc has emerged on the political
arena ahead of parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan. The Democratic
Movement of Kyrgyzstan Party and the party of the former mayor of the
Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, [and former National Security Minister] Feliks
Kulov, Ar-Namys [Dignity], have set up a bloc, Kulov said at his party's
first congress today in Bishkek.

He said one of the reasons for this union was that Ar-Namys was not
permitted to take part in the elections by party lists. "The Central
Electoral Commission has refused to register our candidates for the
parliament over a technicality. Our appeals to the constitutional, supreme
and District courts have not produced any results. We had to find a way out
of the situation and enter our party candidates into other parties'
election lists," Kulov told the congress.

According to him, the platform of Dzhypar Dzheksheyev's party [Democratic
Movement of Kyrgyzstan] is the closest in spirit to that of Ar-Namys and
their union will benefit the party's cause. Kulov will be the number one
candidate in the bloc's election list and Dzheksheyev will be the second.
The leader of Ar-Namys ([Russian] Dostoinstvo) described this step as
"astute political tactics during an election campaign" in response to
attempts by some opponents to discredit Ar-Namys.

In line with a Kyrgyz Justice Ministry's resolution and under the Election
Code, only those parties will be allowed to take part in the elections by
party lists which meet the requirements of the law on elections. Ar-Namys
has failed to meet the requirement on the minimum period of registration. A
party is eligible to take part in the elections if it was registered at the
Justice Ministry at least a year ago. Kulov's party was set up and
registered just six months ago.

Source: Kabar news agency, Bishkek, in Russian 1403 gmt 05 Jan 00
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