Unity bloc leads in Duma poll

MOSCOW, Dec 19 (PTI) — The pro-Yeltsin Yedinstvo (Unity) bloc took an early lead in the elections to state Duma or lower house of parliament, polling for which ended at 9 p.m. Moscow time (11:30 p.m. IST), according to unofficial preliminary results released here today.

The Unity bloc led by Emergencies Situation Minister Sergei Shoigu was leading with 31.68 per cent votes in Chukotka, Khabarovsk, Kamchatka, Maritime territory and Magadan in Russia’s far east followed by the Communist Party of Gennady Zyuganov (KPRF) with 23.67 per cent, the results said.

They were followed by the Zhirinovsky bloc with 10.05 per cent, Kremlin-backed Union of Rightist Forces 6 per cent, former premier Yevgeny Primakov’s Fatherland all Russia (OVR) 4.55 per cent and Yabloko bloc 4.34 per cent, Chief Election Commissioner Alexander Veshnyakov announced.

Mr Veshnyakov, however, stressed that these were strictly preliminary results and will change after counting was completed in all constituencies.

In Moscow, Primakov-Luzhkov’s OVR has polled more than 40 per cent votes followed by KPRF with a little over 12 per cent votes.

Incumbent Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, a key leader of the OVR has swept the mayoral poll in the Russian capital, elections to which were held simultaneously.

Mr Luzhkov bagged over 60 per cent votes, beating seven rivals, including former premier Sergei Kiriyenko and Kremlin property Manager Pavel Borodin, Radio Echo Moskvy quoting preliminary returns reported.

Musharraf says Kashmir a N-flashpoint

ISLAMABAD, Dec 19 (PTI) — Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf has said Kashmir is a "possible nuclear flashpoint" in South Asia and urged India to"show sincerity" in resolving the vexed issue which is the "major source of tension" between the two countries.

"The recent developments in South Asia have shown that Kashmir was a possible nuclear flashpoint in the region," General Musharraf said yesterday in an obvious reference to the Kargil conflict.

"There is daily firing along the LoC and existing tension between the two countries indicate that Kashmir was a major source of tension between them" he said while addressing a meeting of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (ATK) Council.

Stressing that Islamabad is "Willing to solve the Kashmir issue through peaceful means if India shows sincerity for the resolution of the issue", the Chief Executive said: "Lasting peace and stability in South Asia is not possible" without solving the core matter.

This was the first meeting of the so-called AJK Council that General Musharraf attended since assuming power on October 12 after toppling the Nawaz Sharif government in a coup.