Karimov re-elected as Uzbek President: election authorities

The Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan announced Monday that incumbent President Islam Karimov has won re-election as the head of state.

Karimov won 90.39 percent of the vote, slightly below the 91.08 percent level recorded on the voting day of March 29, the commission said at a press briefing held at 4:00 p.m. local time (1100 GMT).

The other three presidential candidates shared the rest 10-percent votes, with Akmal Saidov of the National Revival Democratic Party getting 3.08 percent, Khatamjan Ketmanov of the People's Democratic Party 2.92 percent and Nariman Umarov of the "Adolat" (Justice) Social Democratic Party 2.05 percent.

According to Uzbek law, a presidential candidate needs over 50 percent of the valid votes to become a president.

The newly-elected president will serve a five-year term, according to a 2011 constitutional amendment which shortens the presidential tenure from seven years.

"The election was conducted democratically and impartially in compliance with Uzbek law, while no violation was found during the voting process," said Mirzoulugbek Abdusalomov, chief of the central election commission.

About 300 observers from 43 countries monitored the election, along with five international organizations including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Karimov has ruled the Central Asian nation for over two decades, since before the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated Karimov on his re-election, saying that under the leadership of Karimov, Uzbekistan will make new and greater achievements in the cause of national development.

Xi also expressed his willingness to join hands with Karimov to push forward the China-Uzbekistan strategic partnership toward operation at high levels in the greater interest of the two peoples. Endi