Kazakh president's party wins all seats
Monday, 20 August 2007
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Aug 19 (AP): The party of President Nursultan Nazarbayev won all available seats in Kazakhstan's new parliament, according to preliminary results announced Sunday. The tally was quickly condemned by the opposition.
An observer mission from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Sunday that although a number of international standards were not met, the elections showed welcome progress toward democracy.
Nazarbayev, who has ruled Kazakhstan since 1989 when it was still a Soviet republic, had pledged that the elections would be free and fair. He is pushing for Kazakhstan to become chairman in 2009 of the OSCE, which had delayed making a decision because of concerns about the country's commitment to democracy.
An observer mission from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Sunday that although a number of international standards were not met, the elections showed welcome progress toward democracy.
Nazarbayev, who has ruled Kazakhstan since 1989 when it was still a Soviet republic, had pledged that the elections would be free and fair. He is pushing for Kazakhstan to become chairman in 2009 of the OSCE, which had delayed making a decision because of concerns about the country's commitment to democracy.