Excerpts from report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 14th February

[Presenter] As the date of the elections is approaching, a lot of changes
are taking place in Tajikistan's political life.
[Passage omitted: these are the first multi-party elections].
Six political parties and independent candidates are continuing their
canvassing.

[Passage omitted: no similarity with Soviet-time campaigns].
The Socialist Party of Tajikistan is one of the political parties which is
standing in the parliamentary elections. The party's election programme
focuses on economic issues and economic reforms. The following is a comment
by the chairman of the Socialist Party's electoral committee, Mr Mirhusayn
Narzizoda:

[Narzizoda, in Tajik] The following issues are clearly outlined in our
programme: acceleration of the privatization process, comprehensive
assistance in industrial development, monitoring of the privatization
process, attraction of foreign investments, support for small and medium
entrepreneurship, provision of equal conditions for all forms of private
ownership, assistance in developing the processing of domestic raw
materials, state support of the agricultural sector and the processing
industry, supervision over the management of state land, (?the creation) of
a fund for supporting farmers' associations and others.
In the social realm we want to support pensioners, the disabled and the
poor, to raise the minimum wage in budget-funded organizations and (?to
cut) the state management apparatus.

As for the cultural, educational and health sectors, the Socialist Party of
Tajikistan is for their comprehensive support.
[Passage to the end omitted: education is important; the party supports
government road construction plans].

Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mashhad, in Persian 1600 gmt
14 Feb 00
BBC Mon CAU 160200/** BB/SK