Washington: The United States has called for a "rapid restoration of peace and public order" in southern Kyrgyzstan and said it supported UN and European efforts to help bring an end to deadly ethnic violence there.
"The United States is closely monitoring developments in the Kyrgyz republic and calls for a rapid restoration of peace and public order in the city of Osh and elsewhere where it appears ethnic violence is occurring," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in a statement yesterday.
"The United States supports efforts coordinated by the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe to facilitate peace and order and the provision of humanitarian assistance to the victims of violence and disorder in the Kyrgyz republic."
The OSCE, which has offices in the capital Bishkek and Osh, said it was ready to help resolve the crisis.
The latest US call for calm in the volatile Central Asian state came after the Kyrgyz interim government yesterday gave the military and police shoot-to-kill powers to quell ethnic unrest which has left 75 people dead and more than 1,000 wounded.
Crowley encouraged US citizens in Kyrgyzstan to be aware of the US embassy`s security messages in order to "ensure their safety in these turbulent times”.
PTI
