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Monday, 23 June 2003

U.S. OBJECTS TO TAJIK CONSTITUTION CHANGE

Published in News Digest

By empty (6/23/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The United States expressed dissatisfaction Monday with a weekend referendum in Tajikistan on a constitutional change that could allow President Emomali Rakhmonov to stay in power until 2020. \"We have repeatedly stated that a constitutional referendum in that country should meet international standards for transparency,\" State Department spokesman Philip T. Reeker said.
The United States expressed dissatisfaction Monday with a weekend referendum in Tajikistan on a constitutional change that could allow President Emomali Rakhmonov to stay in power until 2020. \"We have repeatedly stated that a constitutional referendum in that country should meet international standards for transparency,\" State Department spokesman Philip T. Reeker said. \"And unfortunately, this exercise that was held over the weekend did not meet those standards.\" He said the United States is urging the Tajik government \"to test its leadership and its policies through regularly scheduled, free and fair elections.\" More than 93 percent of the voters approved the changes in the former Soviet republic located in central Asia. It provides bases for the U.S.-led anti-terrorism coalition operations in Afghanistan. Now presidents will be able to serve two seven-year terms instead of one. Rakhmonov\'s current term ending in 2006 won\'t count under the revised constitution, meaning he could run again twice, and if re-elected, stay in power 17 more years. Rakhmonov, who at 50 is the youngest president in central Asia, said Sunday he had not decided whether he\'d run again. (AP)
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