Campaigning Starts For Kyrgyz Presidential Election

Bakiev is the favorite (file photo) 14 June 2005 -- Campaigning officially starts today in Kyrgyzstan for the country's July 10 presidential election.

Acting President Kurmanbek Bakiev registered as a candidate yesterday, the final day to do so.

Bakiev -- who is favored to win the poll -- faces six other candidates to replace Askar Akaev as president of the Central Asian country.

The election originally was scheduled for late October, but the vote was moved forward after Akaev fled the country during protests in March and resigned the presidency.

(AP/ITAR-TASS)