Text of report by Kyrgyz radio on 28th February

The second round of the election campaign has begun in Kyrgyzstan. A total
of 173 candidates for parliamentary seats will contest the elections on
12th March. Namely this is how many contestants failed to gain the required
number of votes in the first round of the elections [on 20th February] and
therefore they will go through to the second round of the elections. In
line with the law, winners of parliamentary seats will be decided by a
simple majority of votes. We remind you that there will be 105 deputies in
the new parliament, 45 of them in the Assembly of People's Representatives
[non-standing chamber of the parliament] and 60 in the Legislative Assembly
[standing chamber]. Fifteen of the 60 seats have been allocated to
political parties. According to the results of the elections held on 20th
February, the seats will be distributed among six parties: the Party of
Communists of Kyrgyzstan, the Union of Democratic Forces electoral bloc,
the Democratic Party of Women of Kyrgyzstan, the Party of Veterans of the
War in Afghanistan and of Participants in Other Local Conflicts, the
Fatherland (Ata-Meken) Socialist Party and the My Country Party of Action.
 
Source: Kyrgyz Radio first programme, Bishkek, in Russian 1400 gmt 28 Feb 00
BBC Mon CAU 280200/** GAR/MK