Moscow: The interim government of
Kyrgyzstan under Roza Otunbayeva, which assumed power after
ousting president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, on Friday asked for financial
and other assistance from Russia, even as a top leader
air-dashed to Moscow for talks in that regard.
"For us Russia has always been a very important
partner and remains such. We are very grateful to Russia for
support," Interim Prime Minister Roza Otunbayeva said, hoping
that Russia would help the country with petroleum products and
give aid for resolving financial issues.
Meanwhile, the deputy head of the provisional
government, Almazbek Atambyaev today flew to Moscow to seek
economic aid from Russia, the interim authorities said.
A delegation headed by Atambayev "left for Moscow
early today for talks on economic aid with several members of
the Russian leadership," it added.
Yesterday signalling the backing for the new
government, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had called up
Otunbayeva on phone and reiterated Russia`s commitment to help
the people of Kyrgyzstan.
Otunbayeva has already sent her vice premier
Almazbek Atambayev to Moscow for negotiations.
Meanwhile, cold shouldered by Moscow, Washington and
immediate neighbours, deposed President Bakiyev is refusing to
resign and is entrenched his native village in Jalal-Abad
region in the south of the country.
According to reports Washington has said the first
steps of the interim government were `in the right direction`,
on its part the new authorities in Bishkek have assured the US
that their transit base in local Manas airport for supporting
Afghanistan operations will continue to function without
hitch.
Kyrgyzstan`s CIS neighbours Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
and Tajikistan have also not come out in the defence of
President Bakiyev saying that events in the country were its
`internal matter`.
In his interview to Moscow-based Ekho Moskvy radio
and BBC`s Russian service Bakiyev said as the President he was
`ready to talk` to the interim government.
Conceding a north-south divide in the former Soviet
republic, Bakiyev, however, said a civil war was `unlikely`.
In a parallel development Bakiyev`s brother, who was
his security chief, has been put on wanted list by the new
authorities for blood bath in capital Bishkek on April 7, when
76 people were killed and over 1500 injured in the shooting by
security personnel from the roof of the government
headquarters.
Supporters of Bakiyev have also been blamed for the
two nights of looting in the capital.
Interfax reported that two landmines, suspected to
be planted by Bakiyev`s men, were found on a major crossing in
the heart of Bishkek, which were later defused by the sappers.
The Russian agencies report about the `election` of
a popular opposition leader as the governor of volatile Osh
region, bordering on Uzbekistan`s Ferghana Valley.
Uzbekistan today formally notified the closure of its
border with Kyrgyzstan.
Earlier, Kazakhstan had also sealed its border with
Kyrgyzstan and is letting in only the citizens of Kazakhstan
returning from the unrest hit neighbour.
New Kyrgyz leaders freeze banking system, say coffers emptied
Kyrgyzstan`s new leaders today froze
the national banking system, saying the Central Asian
country`s ousted president emptied the state coffers before
fleeing, a senior interim official said to a news agency.
"The state coffers are almost empty. All the funds have
been transferred. That is why we have frozen the banking
system," said Edil Baisalov, the new chief of staff for
interim leader Roza Otunbayeva.
"We are afraid that the banks under (President Kurmanbek)
Bakiyev`s control will take funds out of the country."
The coffers of the impoverished ex-Soviet state now hold
only 986 million Kyrgyz soms (16 million euros, 22 million
dollars), he said.
"We have uncovered irrefutable proof of a criminal
organisation led by Bakiyev."
Baisalov also insisted that Bakiyev had given the final
nod for security forces to open fire on opposition protesters
in the capital Bishkek this week, where at least 76 people
died in riots.
Janysh Bakiyev, the son of the ousted Kyrgyz leader and
former head of his presidential guard, gave the order but
there was "no doubt" that Bakiyev knew of it, he said.
"We have irrefutable proof and detailed confessions from
officials... that Janysh Bakiyev gave the order to shoot to
kill and that President Bakiyev knew of it," Baisalov said.
Bakiyev said to a news agency on Friday that he had no intention of resigning and blamed the country`s new self-proclaimed
leadership for causing the deaths of protesters this week.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with a news agency in the
southern Kyrgyz city of Jalalabad, Bakiyev starkly denied
giving any order to security forces to open fire on
protesters.
PTI
