Kyrgyzstan's parliament failed to gather enough lawmakers yesterday to accept the resignation of President Askar Akayev, leaving the ousted leader still technically in power and continuing the country's political crisis.
Kyrgyz officials had pushed hard to secure Akayev's resignation, seeing it as a significant step toward restoring political order and giving a stamp of legitimacy to a new leadership that rose to power less than two weeks ago amid widespread chaos.
Failure to muster a quorum for such a key event underlined the unstable politics in this former Soviet republic in Central Asia since the longtime leader's ouster March 24 when protesters stormed his office.
The legislature fell two short of the 50 lawmakers it needed to form a quorum and accept a resignation letter that Akayev signed on Monday at the Kyrgyz Embassy in Moscow in the presence of a Kyrgyz parliamentary delegation.
The resignation was to have been presented to the 75-member Jogorku Kenesh yesterday.
Lawmakers also planned to watch an 18-minute taped farewell message from Akayev.
But members of the parliamentary delegation that witnessed Akayev signing the letter in Moscow were among the lawmakers who failed to turn up yesterday, while pro-Akayev lawmakers were among those who attended -- adding to the confusion.
Lawmaker Temir Sariyev denied any political motives to the session's collapse, while some observers pointed to a lack of discipline. The newly elected parliament has repeatedly failed to muster the minimum number of lawmakers needed to hold a session.
Omurbek Tekebayev, a longtime Akayev foe who led the parliamentary delegation to Moscow, told reporters he wasn't concerned by the delay, noting that many lawmakers simply weren't in Bishkek.
Tekebayev, who was chosen as parliament's speaker after Akayev's ouster, said the session would consider former leader's resignation today. Asked whether the delay meant that Akayev is still the legitimate president, Tekebayev said: ``the parliament hasn't accepted his resignation yet.''
He said the parliament had other options -- including rejecting the resignation and launching impeachment proceedings against Akayev.
"He deserted the country and the people," said acting Prosecutor General Azimbek Beknazarov, who is pushing for an impeachment. "Had he not left the country to chaos, then we could have considered accepting his resignation."
Impeachment is considered unlikely, however, because it is a complicated procedure.
Akayev was ousted March 24. A new presidential election has been scheduled for June 26.
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