Text of report by Tajik TV on 28th February

The [joint] UN and OSCE mission of observers for monitoring the Tajik
parliamentary elections gave a news conference for local and foreign
journalists today. Here is a report by our correspondents, Sadullo Rahmon,
Amon Urun and Sayfiddin Karim.

[Correspondent] The head of the joint UN and OSCE mission of observers in
Tajikistan, Zenon Kuchciak, opened the news conference, which was attended
by a large number of local and foreign journalists. He noted that
Tajikistan was making first steps towards the democratization of society
and the introduction of human rights and international standards. The
elections to the Majlisi Namoyandagon [Assembly of Representatives] and
local councils have proved this, [he said].

Mr Zenon Kuchciak assessed the elections as satisfactory as a whole but said
that some technical shortcomings were inevitable in holding such an
important political event - the first such event in Tajik history. The head
of the observers' mission noted that the constitutional law of Tajikistan
on elections to the Supreme Assembly and local councils had been drawn up
in such a way that it met the demands of all political forces in the
country.

[An unidentified man in Russian, presumably Kuchciak] This law on elections
is democratic enough.

[Correspondent] The head of the mission of observers thanked a number of
countries, including the USA, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the Great
Britain, for providing financial and technical assistance during the
elections.

Answering journalists' questions, Mr Zenon Kuchciak said that the poll was
the first ever election of a professional Tajik parliament. That is why
there is hope that further such political polls will be organized better
and held at a higher political level.

Diplomats and representatives of the international organizations accredited
in Dushanbe also attended the news conference.

Source: Tajik Television first channel , Dushanbe, in Tajik 1530 gmt 28 Feb
00
BBC Mon CAU 290200/** BB/MI