Voters in Uzbekistan cast ballots Sunday in a referendum to decide if the term of office for the country's president should be extended from five to seven years.

Election officials say about 92-percent of the country's 13.2 million eligible voters took part in the referendum, which critics have called a ploy by President Islam Karimov to remain in power. His current term expires in 2005.

The referendum also asked voters whether the country should establish a bi-cameral legislature to replace the current one-chamber body.

Preliminary results are expected Monday.

Mr. Karimov has been in power since 1990, when Uzbekistan was still a Soviet republic. He was elected president by popular vote the following year after the fall of the Soviet Union. He was re-elected in 2000 with more than 92 percent of the vote, but the international community called the election neither free nor fair.

Human rights advocates accuse the Uzbek leader of suppressing political opponents by jailing them and by muzzling the press - charges he has consistently denied.

Mr. Karimov has gained added international stature with his public support for the U.S.-led military campaign in neighboring Afghanistan. He has allowed the United States to use a military base in southern Uzbekistan and opened a bridge to transport humanitarian aid into Afghanistan.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.

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