VOTE FRAUD UNDER INVESTIGATION.

Investigations are under way into a number of cases of alleged fraud during Russia’s recent presidential elections. In general, the elections are considered to have been fairly conducted, and they were given a clean bill of health both by international observers and by the defeated candidate, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov. Allegations of falsification have nonetheless been voiced in three of Russia’s ethnically-based republics — Kalmykia, Tatarstan and Mordovia — and in Stavropol krai in southern Russia. This week, the Supreme Court instructed the office of the Prosecutor General to investigate alleged fraud in the first round of the election in five districts of the capital of Tatarstan, Kazan. A top official of the Central Electoral Commission is currently in Mordovia to investigate complaints about fraud in the second round of the election there. (Interfax, July 23 and 24) Both investigations have been launched in response to complaints lodged by Zyuganov supporters.

South Ossetian Settlement Talks Mark Time.