Uzmetronom reports that the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Moscow officially denied camera team of TV Channel One of the Russian television the right to cover the presidential campaign in Uzbekistan.

Russian TV networks Russia and NTV had received similar notifications several days ago. Official Tashkent - for this is where decisions are made - did not bother with explanations.

Uzbekistan will be electing its next president on December 23. The list of candidates for president includes President Islam Karimov (nominated by Liberal Democratic Party), Asliddin Rustamov (People's Democratic Party or former Communist Party of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic), Dilorom Tashmuhamedova (Adolat or Justice), and Akmal Saidov (nominated by a spearhead).

Ferghana.Ru approached Yulia Rakcheyeva, Russia Network Director of Information Programs, for comments. Letters to the TV network went unanswered. A phone call to Rakcheyeva's secretary resulted in a tight-lipped "Purely technical reasons prevent our going to Uzbekistan, unfortunately."

Asked if Uzbekistan was prepared to accredit Russian TV journalists, the woman on the other end of the line replied, "I do not know anything about accreditation. All I know is that a written denial from Uzbekistan has been received but it is some purely technical difficulties that are referred to in the letter."

Ferghana.Ru's appeal to Kirill Kleimenov of the TV Channel One Directorate of Information Programs remained unanswered.

What information is available to Ferghana.Ru indicates that even Mir Network was denied the permission to cover the forthcoming presidential election in Uzbekistan. Odd, considering that Uzbekistan is one of its founders. Mir TV Network was established by agreement between the heads of CIS states in 1992 for the purpose of covering political, economic, and humanitarian interaction within the Commonwealth, promotion of common information zone, and advancement of international information exchange. Its list of founders includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.