Kyrgyzstan’s Leader Endorses the Newly Elected Parliament

Acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on Monday endorsed the newly elected parliament he previously had denounced as the product of ballot-rigging, while the lawmakers in turn formally named him prime minister.

The compromise between rival factions reduced the risk of civil war in this Central Asian country of 5 million people near China, Afghanistan and oil- producing states around the Caspian Sea. But it angered some of the protesters who last week ousted President Askar A. Akayev from power. They denounced the deal as a betrayal by Bakiyev.

The lawmakers’ action gave Bakiyev legal authority to fill the two posts, which he has held since opposition forces seized power last week.

Uncertainty remained about the whereabouts of Akayev and what role he might still play. He was believed to be either in Kazakhstan or Russia, and there were reports that he had made contact with the new leadership. Kyrgyzstan’s Kabar news agency Monday carried a statement attributed to him in which he said he would not resign.

“I succeeded in preventing civil war,” the statement said. “I didn’t stain my hands with blood.... Following my humanistic convictions and my commitment to the principles of democracy, I had no rights to order law enforcers and the presidential guard to open fire at my people. Even a drop of shed blood cannot justify the goal to remain in power.”

Few observers believed that Akayev had any chance of regaining control now that the new parliament appears to have shifted its support to Bakiyev.

The opposition won only six out of 75 seats in the new parliament, according to initial results of the disputed balloting held in February and this month. Akayev’s apparent control of the new body gave him the potential of amending the constitution and remaining in power beyond the time later this year that he was supposed to step down.

But many new parliament members are wealthy businesspeople who, some observers say, are loyal more to themselves than to Akayev. Their apparent interest in being part of the power structure makes compromise among politicians easier but adds to the anger of some of the protesters who brought the former opposition to power.

Speaking to the new parliament Monday, Bakiyev conceded that he had shifted ground. But he stressed that the protests over alleged electoral fraud had focused on a limited number of seats that the opposition believed had been stolen.

“I can be reproached for saying earlier that the polls were not legitimate. I did say so,” Bakiyev said. “But in this parliament we have questions about only 15 to 20 constituencies. No one is saying that all deputies have to go.”

As part of the compromise, the winners in districts still under dispute are to be decided by the courts.

Bakiyev called on the old two-house parliament to give up its effort to assert its continued legitimacy.

“Today we need to make a political decision,” Bakiyev said in his speech to the new unicameral parliament. “In accordance with the constitution, the two- chamber parliament should end its work. The old parliament needs to think about its voters’ interests and not about its own.”

The old parliament’s lower house agreed Monday to suspend work, and its speaker, Ishenbai Kadyrbekov, urged the upper house to do the same “so that the acting president will not face two rival legislatures.” Today, the upper house indicated that it would follow suit.

As Bakiyev addressed the recently elected body, about 300 demonstrators outside shouted, “Down with the new parliament! Down! Down!” The rally’s organizers told reporters that protesters were demanding the dissolution of the new parliament and the Central Election Commission, revisions in the results of privatization of state assets carried out under Akayev and a freeze on Akayev’s bank assets.

When Bakiyev emerged from the building around 6 p.m., he addressed the demonstrators through a loudspeaker.

“You entrusted me with this post, help me work,” Bakiyev pleaded, urging the protesters to go home.

Omurbek Tekebayev, elected speaker of the new parliament Monday, faced greater anger from the crowd when he emerged from the building a bit later.

Protesters shouted, “Down! Down!” and “Catch him!” One protester said to those nearby, “We should beat him up.” Tekebayev was able to leave, however, without any further incident.

Acting Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva said during a news conference that the foreign policy of Kyrgyzstan, which is home to both U.S. and Russian military bases, would not change under the new authorities.

“The presence of a Russian and of an American military base meets the interests of our security,” she said. “The American military base is needed, specifically, because of the situation in Afghanistan and because of the existence of terrorist danger and also in connection with the fact that Kyrgyzstan is situated at the crossing of narcotics traffic.”

Valeriy Dile, an independent deputy of the upper house of the old parliament, said in an interview that he expected the new legislative body to function for about three months and then be replaced through fresh elections likely to be held soon after a presidential election scheduled for June 26. He rejected the idea of any negotiations with Akayev.

“The president left the country and the people made a coup d’etat,” he said. “So there should be no room for dialogue with the previous power which in fact has been liquidated by the people.”