|
|
|
 
 
 
 
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
The waves of democracy touches Kyrgyzstan – Another stage for confrontation between Russia and the West?
Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev, according to reports from Kyrgyzstan, has resigned and left the country with his family to a safe location in Kazakhstan. Kyrgyz Ambassador to the United States Baktybek Abdrissaev said in Washington, D.C., that Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev has not resigned and is in a safe place. Unconfirmed reports from the Interfax news agency said that Akayev had flown to Russia, but Interfax later reported that he landed instead in Kazakhstan. Abdrissaev said that there "looting and murdering on a massive scale" was occurring on the streets of the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek.
According to international think tanks, this may be a popular uprising. What is astonishing in this case is the fact that close to 5000 Protesters demanding the resignation of Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev broke through a police cordon and stormed the presidential compound in Bishkek on Wednesday, smashing windows with stones. The protesters, wearing opposition pink and yellow armbands, led the defense minister from the building as Interior Ministry troops led other officials out a back entrance. The move on the compound came after 5,000 protesters clashed with civilians wearing blue armbands, signifying their support for Akayev. The security forces literally stood there and did not do much other than escorting the Government officials to safe locations. Many are calling what happened as “silent coup”.
Russians may not be very happy at what happened here. The situation is similar to what happened in Ukraine or in Georgia and is the West in particular is likely playing the role of kingmaker.
The Kyrgyz Parliament has elected Ishenbai Kadyrbekov, a former opposition lawmaker, as Kyrgyzstan's interim president. The move comes after former President Askar Akayev resigned and left the country with his family.
According to international think tanks, former Prime Minister Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who ran the government from 2000 to 2002, in the last two weeks has emerged as a plausible presidential candidate. He is a moderate with legitimate experience -- who by all accounts could be agreeable to both Washington and Moscow.
International political experts also predict that Americans are reluctant to irritate the Russians in Ukraine or Georgia or any other places. Putin and Bush may have found common grounds to support each other in their last meeting. If that is true, Kyrgyzstan will have smooth transition to a fantastic democracy.
WORLD ARTICLES
|
|
| Click here to get ad specs and place your ad or Click here to contact the advertisement department |
Send Letters to the Editor
|
Add RSS headlines