Kyrgyzstan president 'should face trial'
Source: Agencies |
April 12, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE head of Kyrgyzstan's interim government yesterday said the Central Asian country's deposed president must face trial, rescinding an earlier offer of security guarantees for him.
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev warned from his home village in the south against any attempt to arrest him, saying it will trigger bloodshed.
Roza Otunbayeva's statement reflected the toughening of the new authorities' stance as they grow increasingly impatient with the ousted Bakiyev's refusal to step down. Otunbayeva and others had earlier offered Bakiyev a safe passage out of the country if he resigned voluntarily.
The stalemate has left Kyrgyzstan's near-term stability in doubt, a worry for the West because of the United States air base in Kyrgyzstan that is a crucial element in the international military campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"People are criticizing me for being too soft and saying there should be no security guarantees for him," Otunbayeva said. "People are demanding Bakiyev faces trial."
Bakiyev fled the capital, Bishkek, on Wednesday after a protest rally against corruption and rising utility bill exploded into gunfire and chaos that left at least 81 people dead and sparked protesters to storm government buildings.
Speaking to the Russian RIA Novosti news agency from his home Jalal-Abad region in southern Kyrgyzstan, Bakiyev urged the United Nations to send peacekeepers to Kyrgyzstan to prevent unrest from spreading.
"The police have been paralyzed, the military is so-so, and if, God forbid, there is some hotbed we won't manage to deal with it on our own," he said.
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev warned from his home village in the south against any attempt to arrest him, saying it will trigger bloodshed.
Roza Otunbayeva's statement reflected the toughening of the new authorities' stance as they grow increasingly impatient with the ousted Bakiyev's refusal to step down. Otunbayeva and others had earlier offered Bakiyev a safe passage out of the country if he resigned voluntarily.
The stalemate has left Kyrgyzstan's near-term stability in doubt, a worry for the West because of the United States air base in Kyrgyzstan that is a crucial element in the international military campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"People are criticizing me for being too soft and saying there should be no security guarantees for him," Otunbayeva said. "People are demanding Bakiyev faces trial."
Bakiyev fled the capital, Bishkek, on Wednesday after a protest rally against corruption and rising utility bill exploded into gunfire and chaos that left at least 81 people dead and sparked protesters to storm government buildings.
Speaking to the Russian RIA Novosti news agency from his home Jalal-Abad region in southern Kyrgyzstan, Bakiyev urged the United Nations to send peacekeepers to Kyrgyzstan to prevent unrest from spreading.
"The police have been paralyzed, the military is so-so, and if, God forbid, there is some hotbed we won't manage to deal with it on our own," he said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
