Kyrgyz president marks election victory with speech at rally

Text of report by Kyrgyz radio on 30th October

(Please note correction in sixth paragraph from "ten friendly years" to "ten difficult years")

[Presenter] A grandiose, (word indistinct) and joyous festivity is taking place at the Ala-Too central square [in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan] to mark the incumbent president Askar Akayev's landslide victory in the presidential elections which were held yesterday. I recall that he won over 74 per cent of the votes in the elections.

[passage omitted: names of pop singers participating in the festival]

In his address to the young people, by the way, this was his first speech after the presidential elections, President Askar Akayev said the following:

[Akayev] Good evening, dear friends, my dear compatriots. I sincerely and heartily congratulate all of you, dear friends, on the successful election of the president of Kyrgyzstan of the year of 2000. [cheers from crowd] I also congratulate you on our convincing victory, our common victory, dear friends.

I am confident that this was a victory of our solid friendship, the firm accord of the people of Kyrgyzstan and our national unity. This was a victory of democracy and peace. This was your victory, dear friends, and the main thing was that we saw in these elections a wonderful civil activity displayed by the citizens of Kyrgyzstan, and their democratic spirit. And I would like to particularly note the (?Tandoo) action, the participants in which ran thousands of kilometres through the whole country, despite all difficulties they faced on the way, despite the surprises of the weather, rain and snow and who called on the citizens of Kyrgyzstan, particularly the young people, to take an active part in the elections. And we had a wonderful and a surprisingly active turnout [changes his tack] almost every eighth voter participated in these elections [as heard]. I think this is a wonderful victory, dear friends.

Dear friends, ten difficult years of democratic reconstruction and market reforms have gone by now. During these years, wonderful young people have grown up in our country, you, as representatives, are present in our main square today.

It was a pleasure for me to see that our young people have been full of the spirit of democracy, the spirit of freedom and that our young people value the fate of democracy in our country, the fate of the people and the country's fate and future in the 21st century. The 20th century is behind us and the 21st century is ahead. I am confident that we may look with optimism ahead into the new century, into our future. I am confident that together with you, such a wonderful and educated young people, we certainly will change life in Kyrgyzstan to the better. What do you say dear friends. Will we change it?

[Voices shouting in support of his words]

[Akayev] We will change it. We will change it to the better.

Many thanks to all of you, dear friends, and thank you my dear compatriots. I once again congratulate all of you on the victory, on the victory of democracy in Kyrgyzstan.

[passage omitted: cheers, woman congratulates Akayev]

Source: Kyrgyz Radio first programme, Bishkek, in Russian 1515 gmt 30 Oct 00

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Posted October 31, 2000 © Eurasianet
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