In the course of the election marathon for the 23 December presidential poll, a meeting was held today between incumbent Uzbek President Islam Karimov, a candidate for the Uzbek presidency from the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [LDPU] - the movement of businessmen and entrepreneurs - and voters from Uzbek southernmost Surkhandarya Region.

In accordance with Article 28 of the law "On election of the president of the Republic of Uzbekistan", the registered candidates [for the presidency] hold meetings with voters. Islam Karimov, a presidential candidate from the LDPU, has started with a meeting with the voters of the southern region. Their number here makes over 1,078m, and of them 40,000 are young people who are participating in the election for the first time.

Representatives from the public, farmers, businessmen, neighbourhood activists, young people and veterans participated in the meeting with the candidate. Ramazon Ashurov, head of regional district electoral commission No 10, presided over the meeting.

Then Islam Karimov made a speech. He spoke in detail about his election programme. As it was noted, at present, practical steps are being taken in our country on the path of building a law-based and democratic society. The holding of the presidential election on an alternative basis in our country serves as a foundation for this. In other words, the national election system has been formed in the country. Each citizen has the right to freely express his opinion.

The supremacy of law is indicated as the number one principle in Islam Karimov’s election programme. The candidate also expressed his position on the further development of Surkhandarya Region.