By Country / Kazakhstan

Opponent Urges Kazakh President To Join TV Debate

7 November 2005 -- An opposition candidate in Kazakhstan's upcoming presidential election is urging President Nursultan Nazarbaev to participate in a televised debate.

The Central Election Commission has proposed that a televised debate involving candidates take place on 17 November. But Nazarbaev has refused to participate in debates with other candidates.

Zharmakhan Tuyakbai, who heads the For a Fair Kazakhstan opposition bloc, told journalists that any debate without the participation of the head of state would be "artificial."

Tuyakbai also called for "fair methods" in the campaign, saying the opposition continued to be subject to harassment in the run-up to the 4 December poll.

(AFP/Interfax)