By empty (9/20/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Vote counting is due to start in Afghanistan\'s first parliamentary and provincial poll for more than 30 years. Ballot boxes have been taken to provincial capitals across Afghanistan, where the counting will take place. Election officials estimate turnout at 50% - more than 20 points lower than in last year\'s presidential poll.

By empty (9/20/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

In a lecture to resistance fighters and unidentified \"foreign representatives\" on 27 August, a translation of which from Chechen into Russian was posted on chechenpress.org on 17 September, acting Chechen President and resistance commander Abdul-Khalim Sadullaev reaffirmed that the Chechens \"will never leave\" their territory and that \"we are obliged to create an Islamic state here, on our native land.\" Sadullaev praised the military operations carried out by the resistance in recent months, but at the same time he expressed concern that during the bomb attack in Znamenskoe two months ago a child was killed.

By empty (9/20/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The taskforces of the five Caspian littoral states (Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) will meet in Baku on October 6-7. The participants will discuss pivotal issues that remain to be agreed upon on the draft convention determining the Caspian status. All littoral states, including Turkmenistan, which did not attend the previous meeting, have stated they will participate in the talks.