Valery Kokov

Valery Mukhamedovich Kokov ( _ru. Валерий Мухамедович Коков) (October 18 1941 - October 29 2005) was a Russian politician.

Kokov was born in Tyrnyauz, Kabardino-Balkaria. He was the leader of Kabardino-Balkaria from 1990 to 2005. He was chairman of the republic's supreme Soviet from 1990 to 1991 and was elected President for the first time in 1992. He effectively neutralized opposition and was re-elected twice in landslide victories; in 1997 with 98% of the vote and in 2002 with 87% of the vote. He successfully maintained stability in the republic though it is close to the war-torn republic of Chechnya. Kokov suffered from cancer for several years before his death. On September 16 2005, he announced his resignation. He did not give any reason for his departure, which came nearly a year and a half before the end of his term. He stayed in office until his successor, Arsen Kanokov was chosen two weeks later. During October 2005 his health rapidly declined and he died in the central clinical hospital in Moscow a month after leaving office.