Kyrgyzstan's president, under pressure from mass opposition protests for his resignation, said yesterday that authorities had uncovered evidence the opposition was plotting to seize control of key state buildings.
As hundreds resumed their protests after an overnight vigil outside parliament, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said audio transcript showed protest organizers and some non-governmental agencies had discussed seizing state TV, the main presidency and government building, and SNB state security headquarters.
"Let's not get overtaken by emotion. There is no threat here. There are no forces to carry out a coup. But there are intentions. There is proof," Bakiyev told parliament.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Central Asian capital on Thursday demanding the resignation of Bakiyev who they say has backtracked on promises of democratic reforms.
Bakiyev's opponents have staged frequent protests since he was swept to power in a coup last year. They say his administration is corrupt and he has backtracked on promises to share more power with parliament and push through reforms.
After a lengthy standoff with the opposition-dominated parliament, Bakiyev agreed this week to alter the Constitution to water down his powers and hand more influence to parliament.
Opposition leaders laughed off Bakiyev's charges they had been planning to seize key state buildings.
Edil Baisalov, head of the Coalition of Democracy and Civil Society and also a member of the opposition For Reform! movement which has been running the protests, said: "We have shown our peaceful nature ... the For Reform! movement will only use peaceful and non-violent means."
Bakiyev spoke in conciliatory tones, saying he wanted the judicial system to deal with the allegations. But he added: "Politicians who are speaking of constitutional reform should not act like this."
The prime minister told an evening television debate "any attempt to destabilize the situation, I tell you with authority now, will be resolutely stopped."
Bakiyev was elected president after his predecessor, Askar Akayev, fled the country following violent protests against a flawed parliamentary election.
Bakiyev's control of the country has been fragile from the outset, raising the possibility he could suffer a similar fate to Akayev if protests continue. But the parliamentary opposition lined up against him is itself riven by division.
"On the whole, I believe there are no grounds for concern, for people to be worried ... Frankly speaking, all we have here is a fight for power," Bakiyev said in a Thursday television interview.
Bakiyev told parliament he would present the new Constitution on Monday that would define the responsibilities of the president and those of the parliament.
The opposition has vowed to occupy the square until the adoption of the reforms, which will deny the president the right to nominate the government and to dissolve parliament.
Approximately 500 police officers continued to stand guard near the main government building on the main square, which houses the presidency and the government.
Most businesses in the city center were closed, as owners feared the protests would degenerate into scenes of looting similar to those that characterized the revolution that toppled Akayev.
A humanoid robot that won a half-marathon race for robots in Beijing on Sunday ran faster than the human world record in a show of China’s technological leaps. The winner from Honor, a Chinese smartphone maker, completed the 21km race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, said a WeChat post by the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town, where the race began. That was faster than the human world record holder, Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, who finished the same distance in about 57 minutes in March at the Lisbon road race. The performance by the robot marked a significant step forward
Four contenders are squaring up to succeed Antonio Guterres as secretary-general of the UN, which faces unprecedented global instability, wars and its own crushing budget crisis. Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan and Senegal’s Macky Sall are each to face grillings by 193 member states and non-governmental organizations for three hours today and tomorrow. It is only the second time the UN has held a public question-and-answer, a format created in 2016 to boost transparency. Ultimately the five permanent members of the UN’s top body, the Security Council, hold the power, wielding vetoes over who leads the
South Korea’s air force yesterday apologized for a 2021 midair collision involving two fighter jets, a day after auditors said the pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight and held them responsible for the accident. “We sincerely apologize to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021,” an air force spokesman told a news conference, adding that one of the pilots involved had been suspended from flying duties, received severe disciplinary action and has since left the military. The apology followed a report released on Wednesday by the South Korean Board of Audit and Inspection,
An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 off northern Japan on Monday prompted a short-lived tsunami alert and the advisory of a higher risk of a possible mega-quake for coastal areas there. The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency said there was a 1% chance for a mega-quake, compared to a 0.1% chance during normal times, in the next week or so following the powerful quake near the Chishima and Japan trenches. Officials said the advisory was not a quake prediction but urged residents in 182 towns along the northeastern coasts to raise their preparedness while continuing their daily lives. Prime
RSS