A presidential candidate from the Fidokorlar National Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Ahtam Tursunov, has said that one of the main tasks of his party will be peace and the nation’s progress. In his speech dedicated to his nomination as a presidential contender, he said his party would act in strict compliance with the law during the election campaign. The following is an excerpt from the speech entitled: "The school of democracy and political experience" published by Uzbek newspaper Fidokor on 3 November; subheadings as published:

Dear members of the party!

Dear guests!

Our motherland’s great achievements in the years of independence, our people’s believe in tomorrow, peace and tranquillity in our country, democratic processes steadily taking place in Uzbekistan, large-scale reforms being implemented step-by-step, the country which is striving for progress and the power of our creative people make all of us feel pride.

Naturally, many people are curious about how our party will take part in the election and on what the party should focus on.

During the election, our party should be guided by the Uzbek Constitution and by the laws "On election of president of Uzbekistan", "On guarantees of the citizens’ rights to vote" and "On political parties". Our every activity, be it promotional work or propaganda as well as words we say should be in keeping with the aforementioned laws.

The party’s participation in the election on 23 December is a sign of democracy in the country.

We especially stress our devotion to the Constitution and existing laws. We declare that peace for the nation, the motherland’s progress, people’s welfare are our supreme goals, and protecting the national interests of our country and fighting for the sake of raising our country’s reputation will remain one of the main tasks for us.

The party is ready to cooperate with sober-minded political forces for Uzbekistan’s progress.

Struggling for the interests of the nation, preserving peace in our country and raising the welfare of our people will remain to be our supreme goal. To achieve this, we are prepared to cooperate with all sober-minded political forces in our society.

I would like to mention some points of our pre-election campaign programme.

In the political sphere:

- To implement the constitutional law "On stepping up political parties’ roles in renewing the state-governing system, further democratization and modernization of the country";

- to step up public control over the implementation of resolutions adopted by the central and local authoritative bodies through the organizations of the political party;

- to actively take part in elections at various levels and to implement the party’s programme by winning more seats in representative council organizations.

In the economic sphere:

- To further step up the implementation of the principles of freeing the economy;

- to deepen a privatization process and to protect property owners’ interests;

- to develop small and medium-sized businesses, especially, to solve unemployment though creating new jobs together with the public by promoting cooperation between people working from home and local companies;

- to fundamentally step up supporting local producers and to create favourable conditions for them to export their products.

In the social sphere:

_- To provide all-round support for young families and to create necessary legal mechanisms for them so they firmly get on their feet;

- to improve laws aimed at protecting mothers and children and to draft new ones in this sphere and ensure their implementation;

- to morally and financially support the families of servicemen and law-enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in order to maintain our motherland’s peace.

In the policy aimed at youth:

- To educate the young in the spirit of patriotism and national independence, and to awaken the spirit of national pride in their hearts;

- To educate the young people to be loyal to the motherland and national interests by promoting the idea of selflessness among them;

- To protect the young people’s rights guaranteed by the Uzbek Constitution, to meet their social needs and interests, to work out programmes aimed at solving the youths’ problems and to implement them.

In the spiritual and cultural sphere:

- To provide all-round support for upbringing sober-minded, liberal and perfect people;

- to maintain and preserve national traditions and customs and to develop them in keeping with the modern life;

- to preserve cultural and historical sites and items as the apple of one’s eye and to provide all-round support for preserving them for the next generation.

In the sphere of international relations:

- To struggle for the national interests of Uzbekistan;

- To take every measure to assist in maintaining peace and tranquillity in our country and in the region;

- To struggle to raise our motherland’s prestige and reputation further in the world.

- To assist in legal reforms in the country.