Kalmykia President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said Monday that he would not seek reappointment after his fourth presidential term expires in October, Interfax reported.

Ilyumzhinov cited President Dmitry Medvedev’s policy of rotating regional leaders as the reason for his decision and said he would support any successor put forth by Medvedev and the ruling United Russia party.

United Russia did not name any possible candidates Monday.

Ilyumzhinov, who has led the Buddhist republic since 1993, said he would try to organize a visit by the Dalai Lama and hoped to continue as the president of the International Chess Federation. He is running for re-election in the chess federation later this month.

(MT)