• Articles

Looming Default and the Way to Fight It
Akezhan Kazhegeldin, Republican People’s Party of Kazakhstan Chair, discusses the chance of default in Kazakhstan and suggests several measures to improve the economy.
“Komsomolskaya Pravda”, April 21, 1999

Executive Committee of Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan: The government must resign!
The first step towards restoration of the health of national economy must be resignation of the government and National Bank executives. Only this tough political decision can bring back the confidence of national and foreign investors.
April 9, 1999

On the planed attempt upon the life of A. Kazhegeldin.
March 16, 1999

Series on Parliamentary Elections
Interview with Gaziz Aldamzharov, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Republican National Party of Kazakhstan
Feburary 1999

What’s hidden behind the "war of ambitions"
If the authorities continue their attempts to keep the opposition on the outskirts of political life by force, that would mean a definite turn by Nazarbayev from progress within political structures in favor of holding on to the power of his own.
"Central Asian Bulletin", February 25 1999

Kazhegeldin recommends "crawling peg"
December 10, 1998 Kazhegeldin’s press service forwarded a letter to "Panorama" newspaper editorial board. It provided advice on the financial strategy of Kazakhstan.
Tsentralnoaziatskii Bulletin,  25 February 1999

Dissident Thought is Punishable
Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan regards a refusal to register it with Kazakh Ministry of Justice as a reflection of the general proclivity of the state to suppress dissident thought and any form of oppositional activity
January 1999

Playing at Democracy
N. Nazarbayev, czar of Central Asia's largest country, seems to be slipping. In 1991 the onetime Communist boss was elected first president of independent Kazakhstan with a reassuringly Soviet vote total of 99 percent.
Washington Post, 24 January 1999

Kazakh Leader Wins in Much Criticized Vote
Nursultan Nazarbayev, the steely potentate who has ruled mineral-rich Kazakhstan since the Soviet era, was reelected president Sunday in an election that Western observers described as a sham because a leading challenger was thrown out of the race.
Washington Post, January 12 1999

Soviet-Era Kazakh President In Big Poll Win
Kazakhstan's Soviet-era leader claimed an overwhelming victory Monday in its first contested presidential election, securing seven more years in charge of the vast Central Asian state.
Reuters, 11 January 1999

Business hails Kazakh poll, urges reforms
The re-election of veteran Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev to a new seven-year term will help ensure stability in his resource-rich Central Asian state but he must speed up reforms, analysts and investors said on Monday.
Reuters, 11 January 1999

Rubin on Kazakh Election
11 January 1999

Kazakhstan-Result Astana
Commission head Zagipa Baliyeva told reporters that preliminary figures put Nazarbayev well ahead of his closest rival. Communist Party leader Serikbolsyn Abdildin was second with 13.

Reuters, 10 January 1999

Kazakhstan leader shrugs off criticism of poll
Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev said he was confident of winning Sunday's presidential poll and shrugged off international criticism of the election process in his vast ex-Soviet state.

Reuters, 10 January 1999

Kazakhstan: Leader certain to win one-horse race
There is little doubt in anyone's mind who is going to win tomorrow's presidential elections, Nursultan Nazarbayev, the 58-year-old leader of Kazakhstan since Soviet times, dominates the election campaign.

Finantial Times, 9 January 1999

Kazakstan Weathers Worst of Turmoil
ALMATY, Kazakstan - The key Central Asian state of Kazakstan has weathered the worst of the global financial crisis, and international bankers think this Western Europe-sized country will keep plugging ahead, despite charges of a rigged presidential election due on Sunday…

The Wall Street Journal, 8 January 1999

Human Rights Watch on elections in Kazakhstan
On Wednesday, four days before the elections of Kazakhstan president, the American human rights monitors have expressed their doubt as to their fair and square character.

Vremya po Grinvichu, 8 January 1999

Briefs on presidential candidates
This Sunday, 10 January, 8 million voters will express their will at the first since 1991 president elections in Kazakhstan.

Vremya po Grinvichu, 8 January 1999

Serkibolsyn Abdildin: Elections in Kazakhstan are illegitimate
To-date, presidential candidate and left opposition leader Serkibolsyn Abdildin held in Almaty a round-up pre-election press-conference for the Kazakhstan and foreign pressmen.

8 January 1999

Nazarbayev defies accusations of Kazakh democrats on the eve of elections
In his written interview to the France Press Agency, Nazarbayev stated that he came out in favor of forming a multi-party system, electivity of the local government structures and the independent mass media as the fundamentals of democratic principles. He warned, however, that this kind of reforms in the former Soviet Central Asian republic had to be introduced step by step.

Vremya po Grinvichu, 8 January 1999

To his Excellency, president of republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev
Оpen letter to president Nazarbayev.

Kazakhstan’s presidential campaign found grossly unfair
Coercion, threats and the repression of opposition activists have characterized the presidential election campaign in Kazakhstan, Human Rights Watch charged today.

How much has been spent for the president's campaign?

January  1999

Akezhan Kazhegeldin was elected chairman of the new party Central committee
17 December marked the beginning of the Republican people's party of Kazakhstan founding congress. The congress has already adopted the new party program and charter, and nominated its leadership.

Vremya po Grinvichu, 18 December 1998

Kazakh opposition leader to form new party
Kazakhstan's leading opposition figure, former Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin, announced over the weekend the formation of a new political party.

Eastern, 7 December 1998

Mr. Nazarbayev sheds his gentlemanly reputation
The president of Kazakhstan has repeatedly assured U.S. administration dignitaries that the January 10, 1999 elections will be fair and square. At the end of the day, though, the Americans woke up to having been hoodwinked all along.

The Central Asian Bulletin, December 6 1998

The New York Times, December 6 1998

Kazakh opposition leader vows to continue fight
Kazakhstan's main opposition leader vowed on Friday to continue his battle against what he called the ex-Soviet state's harsh regime, despite being banned from next month's presidential election.

OSCE calls on Kazakhstan to postpone election
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has urged the government of Kazakhstan to postpone a presidential election set for January 10, citing bans imposed on two opposition candidates.By Mike Collett-White

Eastern, 4 December 1998

USA criticize Kazakhstan for disqualifying Kazhegeldin
25 November, USA criticized the decision of Supreme Court of Kazakhstan to disqualify Nursultan Nazarbayev's most serious challenge from running. The decision, though in accord with the amends to Law on elections, contradicts the international commitments of Kazakhstan as OSCE member state, - said spokesman for the US State Department James Rubin.

Vremya po Grinvichu, 27 November 1998

Supreme Court of Kazakhstan not allowed Kazhegeldin's appeal
The Supreme Court of Kazakhstan announced last Tuesday that former PM Akezhan Kazhegeldin will not be allowed to take part in January 1999 presidential election and confirmed the previously made judgement of the RK Central Electoral Commission.

Vremya po Grinwichu, 25 November 1998

For Fair Election association gives rise to a new political party
The still not registered Fair Election association will form the core of the new opposition-minded political party.

Ak-bota, 21 November 1998

"I believe in revival of Kazakhstan!"
Ainur Rakhimbayerva on Akezhan Kazhegeldin's plans for the future. 

Ak-bota, 18 November 1998

Central Election Commission in Kazakhstan Refuses to Talk with Kazhegeldin's Spokesman
Fedor Abramenko was not even given a chance to talk with the officers, to say nothing of Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Kazakhstan.

451 po Farengeitu, November 1998

Image is Nothing. Craving for Power is Everything
Sergei Duvanov describes developments in Kazakhstan: "The authorities preferred not to tempt the fate and, so as not to take chances, decided to strike Kazhegeldin off the ballot”.

451 po Farengeitu, November 1998.

Glimpses of presidential candidates’ views
Quotes from statements

Dat, November 13, 1998

There Is a Chance For the People
Akezhan Kazhegeldin, former Prime Minister of Kazakhstan and presidential candidate in the 1999 election, completed his four-day visit to the United States on October 30. Artur Starkov takes a look from the US at Mr. Kazhegeldin's tour.

XXI Vek, 12 November 1998

A Karaganda Pensioner Makes his Choice...
Karaganda resident Orlov Alexander Mitrofanovich writes a letter to A. Kazhegeldin

Kazakhstan - Election - Satarov
Georgy Satarov comments on the current pre-election situation in Kazakhstan.

November, 1998

Kazakhstan's Empty Election
Mr. Nazarbayev is a thinly disguised dictator who stages elections he has no chance of losing. Few Western leaders complain because he is seen as the guarantor of stability in an oil-rich nation.

Mr. KNB Major-General, are You an Honorable Man?
As the fall has set in, we are in for elections, while “canards” have taken wing.

Power Begins the Offensive on the Country's Presidential Hopefuls
Chronicle of Recent Events.

Election in Kazakhstan Gets a Dose Of the West
"If the intended message is that Mr. Kazhegeldin, 46, a businessman and former Prime Minister, should drop out of next January's presidential election, he is not listening".

New-York Times, 24 October 1998

Why Nazarbayev is Afraid of the Honest Election?,

23 October 1998

Glasnost is Remedy to All Trouble

Attempt on Akezhan Kazhegeldin

13 October 1998