Otunbaeva Loses Bid For Kyrgyz Parliament Seat

Former acting Foreign Minister Rosa Otunbaeva (file photo) (RFE/RL) 28 November 2005 -- Kyrgyz electoral authorities say two candidates have emerged as winners in 27 November by-elections to fill two vacant seats in parliament, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported.

In the Tunduk district of northern Bishkek, former Foreign Minister Roza Otunbaeva has been defeated by Finance Ministry official Janysh Kudaibergenov.

Electoral commission chief Tuigunaly Abdyraimov told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that preliminary results show Kudaibergenov receiving more than 52 percent of the vote against 28 percent for Otunbaeva.

Also defeated in this race was former Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev.

In the other race, in the southern Aksy district, preliminary results showed Azimbek Beknazarov winning about 89 percent of the votes to secure a parliamentary seat.

Beknazarov had given up the seat he won in last February's parliamentary elections to become acting prosecutor-general. He was dismissed from that post in September and had to run again to regain the parliament seat.