Excerpts from report by Uzbek radio on 10th November
[Correspondent] As you know, the elections to the Supreme
Assembly [Uzbek parliament, on 5th December] and local councils
are drawing closer. [passage omitted: elections are in full
swing].
The staff of the Internal Affairs Ministry are taking
specific measures to prevent various disturbances during the
election campaign.
Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Botir Parpiyev briefed
the Central Electoral Commission on the implementation of the
resolution "On preparations for presidential and parliamentary
elections and the main tasks for ensuring law and order during
the elections". Among other things, he said the following:
[Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Botir Parpiyev's voice]
I think that topical issues have been put on the agenda of
today's [9th November] meeting. Discussing the tasks set before
the Internal Affairs Ministry is a very topical issue, because
an inspection carried out the other day showed that local
administrations and authorities are not paying adequate heed to
this matter - that is to the matter of discipline and
maintaining the peace. [passage omitted : Internal Affairs
Ministry have taking measures to ensure public order during the
election campaign] Our main task is keeping law and order at
the polling stations, preventing any kinds of acts of sabotage
or other improper events during our candidates' meeting with
their electors, and, in general, preventing any illegal
activities. Apart from this we are conducting passport regime
checks in order to discover people illegally living in our
country or those who have come to our country with bad
intentions. In the course of these checks, we have found about
32,000 people living here illegally, including more than 1,800
citizens from the CIS and other foreign countries.
[passage to end omitted: Parpiyev asks for clarification
about whether campaigning is allowed at private TV and radio
station; he also reminds the meeting that all Uzbek citizens
should receive their new passports by the 2000 year]
Source: Uzbek Radio first programme, Tashkent, in Uzbek 1000
gmt 10 Nov 99
BBC Mon CAU 101199/** KG/AD