Kyrgyz leaders offer president safe trip out
Source: Agencies |
April 10, 2010, Saturday
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Kyrgyzstan's new leadership yesterday offered President Kurmanbek Bakiyev safe passage from the country after accusing his supporters of stoking a violent response to an uprising in the strategic Central Asian state.
Roza Otunbayeva, who heads a provisional government so far recognized only by Russia, said the new leadership had control over the armed forces and would do everything to prevent a civil war in a country which hosts both US and Russian air bases.
Otunbayeva led opposition to Bakiyev in Wednesday's uprising, which has brought the former Soviet republic closer to Moscow and raised doubts about the future of the US Manas air base, a vital cog in NATO operations in Afghanistan.
"Bakiyev has the opportunity to leave the country," Otunbayeva told reporters. "We will guarantee his security, only his personal security, if he resigns."
The Manas air base resumed normal operations yesterday, a spokesman said, after some earlier disruption to flights. The new Kyrgyz leadership has said it might shorten the US lease.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quick to offer aid to the new rulers, who have said Moscow had helped oust Bakiyev.
The uprising was sparked by discontent over corruption, nepotism and rising utility prices. A third of the population live below the poverty line. Remittances from the 800,000 Kyrgyz working in Russia make up about 40 percent of Kyrgyzstan's GDP.
Bakiyev fled to the south of the country, where he has traditional support in the regions of Osh and Jalalabad, while his security forces fired on protesters besieging the government building in the capital, Bishkek, on Wednesday.
Vigilante groups organized by the self-proclaimed government spent the night battling looters in Bishkek to return calm to the city, where at least 75 people died in Wednesday's clashes.
"We have enough resources and capabilities and all the people's support that we need," Otunbayeva said. "All armed forces are under our control."
The uprising is likely to lead to fresh haggling over the US Manas air base, which has provided a lucrative source of income to Kyrgyzstan.
A senior Russian official, who declined to be named, said on Thursday Bakiyev had not kept a promise to shut the US base and in the future Kyrgyzstan should have only a Russian air base.
Omurbek Tekebayev, a former Kyrgyz opposition leader in the provisional government, said the US air base's presence could be shortened.
Meanwhile, the new Kyrgyz prosecutor said he would open a criminal case against Bakiyev's son Maxim, who heads a Kyrgyz investment agency, and his two brothers.
"We have testimonial evidence that these people had given orders to shoot against civilians," said Baitemir Ibrayev, the general prosecutor under the new self-proclaimed government.
Otunbayeva's government said it had sent a delegation to Moscow on Friday for talks with senior Russian officials.
Roza Otunbayeva, who heads a provisional government so far recognized only by Russia, said the new leadership had control over the armed forces and would do everything to prevent a civil war in a country which hosts both US and Russian air bases.
Otunbayeva led opposition to Bakiyev in Wednesday's uprising, which has brought the former Soviet republic closer to Moscow and raised doubts about the future of the US Manas air base, a vital cog in NATO operations in Afghanistan.
"Bakiyev has the opportunity to leave the country," Otunbayeva told reporters. "We will guarantee his security, only his personal security, if he resigns."
The Manas air base resumed normal operations yesterday, a spokesman said, after some earlier disruption to flights. The new Kyrgyz leadership has said it might shorten the US lease.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quick to offer aid to the new rulers, who have said Moscow had helped oust Bakiyev.
The uprising was sparked by discontent over corruption, nepotism and rising utility prices. A third of the population live below the poverty line. Remittances from the 800,000 Kyrgyz working in Russia make up about 40 percent of Kyrgyzstan's GDP.
Bakiyev fled to the south of the country, where he has traditional support in the regions of Osh and Jalalabad, while his security forces fired on protesters besieging the government building in the capital, Bishkek, on Wednesday.
Vigilante groups organized by the self-proclaimed government spent the night battling looters in Bishkek to return calm to the city, where at least 75 people died in Wednesday's clashes.
"We have enough resources and capabilities and all the people's support that we need," Otunbayeva said. "All armed forces are under our control."
The uprising is likely to lead to fresh haggling over the US Manas air base, which has provided a lucrative source of income to Kyrgyzstan.
A senior Russian official, who declined to be named, said on Thursday Bakiyev had not kept a promise to shut the US base and in the future Kyrgyzstan should have only a Russian air base.
Omurbek Tekebayev, a former Kyrgyz opposition leader in the provisional government, said the US air base's presence could be shortened.
Meanwhile, the new Kyrgyz prosecutor said he would open a criminal case against Bakiyev's son Maxim, who heads a Kyrgyz investment agency, and his two brothers.
"We have testimonial evidence that these people had given orders to shoot against civilians," said Baitemir Ibrayev, the general prosecutor under the new self-proclaimed government.
Otunbayeva's government said it had sent a delegation to Moscow on Friday for talks with senior Russian officials.
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