By Anar Kerimov (1/12/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Official statistics from the Central Election Commission released a day after the voting indicated that more than 46% of the total voting population visited polling stations, yet many local observers doubted that number.

Close to 38,000 candidates contested 21,622 seats in 2,732 local governance bodies. Major opposition parties, such as the Musavat, Democratic and Popular Front parties boycotted the race and withdraw the names of their registered candidates from the ballots, citing numerous problems with the electoral process in the country.

By Marat Yermukanov (1/12/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Ukrainian “orange revolution”, as the pro-Yushchenko demonstrations in Kiev were baptized, went almost unnoticed in Kazakhstan, except for sketchy TV reports. But messages from Kiev were echoed by the leading opposition forces, the Democratic Choice of Kazakstan (DCK) and Ak Zhol Democratic Party. A recent issue of the Azat paper, mouthpiece of the DCK, carried challenging headlines printed in large letters: “Georgia yesterday, Ukraine today, Kazakhstan tomorrow?” Apparently these words were the last drops that filled the cup of the authorities’ patience.

By Daan van der Schriek (12/15/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Improving the security situation in the country before the parliamentary elections in April is important but made more difficult now that international forces are being reduced after Afghanistan\'s successful presidential election. However, reducing the international presence in the country might come to soon. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a report to the General Assembly and the Security Council on the eve of the inauguration that extremists and terrorists, militia forces and criminals engaged in the drug trade continue to pose threats to Afghanistan.