From: EurasiaDigest (digest@eurasianet.org)
Date: Fri Mar 25 2005 - 11:57:56 EST
KYRGYZ PRESIDENT FLEES
President Akaev and his family reportedly fled to neighboring Kazakhstan on 24 March following the storming of the government building in Bishkek by opposition supporters on 24 March, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service and news agencies reported. Kurmanbek Bakiev, leader of the opposition Coordinating Council, and Constitutional Court Chairman Cholpon Baekova both said on 24 March that Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev has resigned, akipress.org and RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported. Defense Minister Colonel General Esen Topoev and Security Minister Kalyky Imankulov, who were briefly trapped by protestors in the government building and later released, were similarly reported to have offered their resignations, but Bakiev said they would continue to perform their duties, presumably until a new government can be formed, akipress.org reported. Akaev's whereabouts remain unclear, but Kyrgyzstan's ambassador to the United States, Baktybek Abdrisaev, said on 24 March in Washington that Akaev "is in a safe place," an RFE/RL corres
pondent reported. DK
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