LDPR REJECTS POSSIBILITY OF RECALLING MALYSHKIN'S CANDIDACY AT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

MOSCOW, March 2, 2004. (RIA Novosti) -- The Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) will not under any circumstances recall its presidential candidate Oleg Malyshkin, the party's leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky stated.

"We will not withdraw Malyshkin's candidature," he said while commenting on the journalists' request the appeal of the so-called Committee-2008 to some presidential hopefuls to withdraw their candidacies.

"The Committee-2008 - A Free Choice" was organized after the parliamentary elections in Russia in December 2003. Its task is, in particular, the democratic election of a new president (that is not Putin) at the elections in 2008. Chess player Garry Kasparov is at the head of this Committee.

Zhirinovsky refused to reply to the journalists' question how the LDPR faction in the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) will vote on Friday on the candidature of Mikhail Fradkov for the post of prime minister.

"It does not matter whether we will vote or not," he said and added that the United Russia had at its disposal 305 buttons in the State Duma without them.