Seven Chechens Registered For Election

former President Kadyrov 23 July 2004 -- Seven candidates have been registered to stand in Chechnya's presidential election next month.
Registration ended today for the 29 August election, which was called after Chechnya's previous leader, Akhmed-hadji Kadyrov, was killed in a bomb blast in May.

The pro-Kremlin candidate, Major General Alu Alkhanov, currently Chechnya's Interior Minister, is the leading candidate for the post.

The man who was seen as Alkhanov's main rival, the Moscow-based businessman Malik Saidullaev, was barred yesterday from running.

The central election commission said his passport had incorrectly identified his place of birth. The other six candidates Chechen presidential aide Vakha Visaev; Chechen State Council staffer Mukhmud-Khasan Asakov; Colonel Movsur Khamidov of the Chechen Division of the Federal Security Service; former Chechen Deputy Prime Minister Abdulla Bugaev; Umar Abuev, general director of Chechenkhimnefteprom; and Chechen businessman Magomed Aidamirov. Alkhanov was registed on 15 July. Moscow-based businesswoman Zura Magomadova's registration application was rejected on 21 July, Interfax reported the following day.

(AFP)