Hussein Dzhabrailov, deputy director of Moscow\'s Rossiya Hotel, told ITAR-TASS on 25 July he will \"soon\" officially inform the Chechen Central Election Commission of his intention to contest the 5 October presidential ballot. He argued that the standoff between Chechnya and the federal center should be resolved exclusively by political means, through the consolidation of Chechen society. Four other prospective candidates have announced their own presidential bids: Said-Khamzat Gairbekov, retired officer Zaindi Mavlatov, Moscow-based businessman Malik Saidullaev, and Grozny university professor Avkhad Khachukaev. Presidential aide Yastrzhembskii said on 25 July the Kremlin \"does not and cannot\" support any specific candidate in the ballot. Unified Russia party Chairman and Interior Minister Gryzlov said the previous day that his party will support administration head Kadyrov\'s presidential bid, according to Interfax, but stopped short of saying the party will nominate Kadyrov. Speaking in Moscow on 25 July, President Maskhadov\'s representative in the Russian Federation, Salambek Maigov, said Maskhadov\'s leadership will not nominate a presidential candidate. Maigov said new elections should not be held until after a peace has been negotiated and the situation in Chechnya has returned to normal. (RFE/RL)