Excerpts from report by Uzbek TV on 10th September

No Uzbek "Islamic extremists" to be elected: Uzbek election
chief

No "Islamic extremists" or "ill-intentioned people" will
be elected in Uzbekistan's forthcoming parliamentary elections,
the chairman of the Central Electoral Commission told a news
conference on 9th September after the inauguration of the
commission's press centre. Najmiddin Komilov said that the
elections would be "open...based on democracy but only those
candidates who win the people's hearts will be elected".
Komilov said parties registered to field candidates in the
elections would soon be submitting the names of candidates and
that foreign and local observers would be registered. Election
expenses are to be funded by the state budget, and extra funds
raised are to be administered by the Central Electoral
Commission. The following are excerpts from report by Uzbek TV
on 10th September:

[Presenter, over video of people walking in streets, a
parliamentary sitting, press conference at the Central
Electoral Commission] Preparations for the elections to the
Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan [Uzbek parliament] and of the
president of the Republic of Uzbekistan are in full swing.
[passage omitted: The Uzbek Central Electoral Commission's
press centre was inaugurated on 9th September, Chairman of the
Central Electoral Commission Najmiddin Komilov talks about the
aims of the press centre, adding that his commission has
nothing to keep secret from journalists]

[Presenter, over video of Najmiddin Komilov and the head
of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) press centre,
Sherzodkhon Kudratkhojayev and other CEC officials sitting
holding the press conference] During the press conference which
followed the inauguration of the CEC press centre, local and
foreign journalists asked questions which were of interest to
them, in particular about the date when candidates have to be
nominated for parliamentary seats and about the work done by
the CEC.

[CEC Chairman Najmiddin Komilov] Under the law, those
parties who have received our permission to field candidates in
the elections - they already have received this permission -
should nominate their candidates at congresses and conferences
25 days after the announcement of the election date, they still
have time. The CEC has not received such applications so far.
We are expecting them any day now. [passage omitted: Komilov
says that the electoral commission has set up 250
constituencies, with around 49,000 people in each, for the
parliamentary poll, 14 constituencies for the presidential
poll]

[Presenter] Asked whether international, intergovernmental
[as heard] and nongovernmental observers would be invited to
the elections in order to monitor that the elections are held
in line with the requirements of the law, the CEC chairman
replied, inter alia:

[Komilov] Under the laws on parliamentary and presidential
elections, interested parties can sent their observers.
Political parties and their initiative groups, representatives
from the state administration , that is entities running in the
elections can send their observers. Second, foreign countries
and international organizations can also send their observers,
international human rights organizations, the OSCE, [word
indistinct], and other organizations. Foreign countries,
irrespective of whether they are CIS countries or others, can
send their observers. We will register these observers, issue
them with the necessary documents and they are free to observe
the elections. Apart from that representatives from public
organizations and definitely journalists, you sitting here, can
act as unofficial or offical observers.

[Presenter] Asked about sources of financing for the
election campaign, the CEC chairman said the following:

[Komilov] In line with our laws, election expenses should
be covered by the state budget. [passage omitted: this money
will be spent on organizing the election campaign] Political
parties can find sponsors, rich party members can help election
campaigning, but according to our laws such people should
allocate their money to the Central Electoral Commission, while
the commission will distribute it fairly among the parties.
[passage omitted: Komilov says that all five political
parties have gathered 50,000 signatures each and have been
allowed to run in the parliamentary elections]

[Presenter] One of the issues which arouse interest and
concern among the majority of our public that of whether some
dishonest people belonging to various religious extremist
groups would be able to win seats in the parliament during the
elections.

[Komilov] Firm foundations have been laid for political
stability and there is no such force, inside or outside the
country, as can wreck it. No extremists and saboteurs can put
obstacles in our fair, right and democratic path. Our people, I
personally have noticed that, both in the Regions and in the
city of Tashkent, can tell people apart. They understood a long
time ago what sort of people Islamic extremists are and what
their intentions are. That is why evil-intentioned people will
not be elected in these fair and open elections. The elections
will be open, they will be based on democracy, but only those
candidates who win the people's hearts will be elected.
 
Source: Uzbek Television first channel, Tashkent, in Uzbek
1405 gmt 10 Sep 99
BBC Mon CAU 110999 VA/AD
Source: Uzbek Television first channel, Tashkent, in Uzbek 1405
gmt 10 Sep 99
BBC Mon CAU 110999/** VA/AD