International efforts needed to quell Kyrgyzstan violence - Obama

The situation in Kyrgyzstan should be settled through international efforts, U.S. President Barack Obama said at a press conference with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday.

Clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, who account for about 15% of Kyrgyzstan's population, broke out in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh on June 11, lasting several days and spreading to nearby Jalalabad. The official death toll exceeded 260, but the actual death count could be ten times higher.

The situation in the region remains highly volatile, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) proposed on Wednesday sending international police to prevent the spread of violence in the Central Asian republic.

The Kyrgyz interim government asked Russia to send troops to Kyrgyzstan to help quench the unrest, but Medvedev said Thursday Russia is not yet planning to send peacekeepers to the country.

Medvedev is winding up his visit to the United States, during which he visited California's Silicon Valley and held talks with Obama. He will head to Canada that hosts the G8 and G20 summits, due Friday through Sunday.

CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha is to visit Kyrgyzstan

CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha is to visit Kyrgyzstan on June 25.

The main aim of visit of CSTO’s special group is to assess the military-political situation in the country, to assist law enforcement authorities of Kyrgyzstan the consequences of the riots. CSTO delegation will visit Bishkek, Osh and Jalalabad. As a result of the work will be developed further proposals for the states - CSTO members to promote the security forces of Kyrgyzstan in the localization, the disturbances and suppression of extremist action. The structure of the operational working group includes representatives of CSTO from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, as well as employees of the organization's secretariat and the Joint Staff of the CSTO, informs the secretariat.  

No plans to send peacekeepers to Kyrgyzstan - Russia's Medvedev

Russia is not planning to send peacekeepers to Kyrgyzstan, where deadly inter-ethnic clashes claimed hundreds of lives earlier this month, President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday.

"The Russian Federation has never had plans to send its special peacekeeping contingent there [Kyrgyzstan], although consultations have been held on the issue," Medvedev said at a joint press conference with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama after top-level talks.

The Kyrgyz interim government asked Russia to send troops to the ex-Soviet Central Asian republic to help quench the unrest that began in the southern city of Osh on June 11 and spread to nearby Jalalabad, leaving more than 260 people dead, according to official estimates.

The unofficial death toll could be as much as 2,000.

Medvedev said Russia is working with Kyrgyzstan's provisional authorities. "We realize that they are yet to prove their legitimacy, but anyway, Russia believes Kyrgyzstan is a strategic partner," he said.

"This is a country that is close to us, and we will help it both in financial terms and to resolve humanitarian tasks," the Russian leader said.

"We hope a full-fledged authority capable of resolving tasks facing the state is formed during elections. Otherwise, Kyrgyzstan faces degradation, and, unfortunately, is quite likely to split," he said.

264 people died during mass disorders in the south of Kyrgyzstan

According to the official information of the Health Ministry of Kyrgyzstan, 264 people died during mass disorders in the south of Kyrgyzstan.

In Osh oblast, 205 died, 757 people hospitalized. In Jalalabad oblast, 59 people died, 284 have been hospitalized.

Japan to allocate $394 375 to purchase medical equipment to the victims of last events

Japan will allocate $394 000 to purchase medical equipment to the victims of last events in Kyrgyzstan.

Allocation will be based on the grant program. Ambassador of Japan Shin Maruo and Kyrgyz officials will sign this agreement on June 24.

According to the last information of the health ministry, 258 people died at the result of last mass disorders in the southern Kyrgyzstan.  1035 have been hospitalized.

Totally 70 000 refugees returned to Kyrgyzstan

The situation on Kyrgyz – Uzbek border is stable on June 24, informed the frontier service of Kyrgyzstan.

According to the information of frontier service, totally 70 000 refugees have returned to Kyrgyzstan.

Acting Governor of Jalalabad oblast and head of Andijan oblast discussed issues of refugees

Acting Governor of Jalalaabd oblast of Kyrgyzstan Bektur Asanov has met with the head of Andijan oblast of Uzbekistan Bakhadyr Matlubov on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border on June 22, 2010.

Issues and problems of refugees have been discussed by sides.

40 000 residents of oblast crossed Kyrgyz-Uzbek border during mass disorders happened in the south of Kyrgyzstan in June.

Asanov urged refugees to return home and assured that steps have been taken to ensure their safety, more than 300 tents to temporarily house them have been fixed.

Parliamentary elections of Kyrgyzstan will be held in September

In Kyrgyzstan, parliamentary elections will be held in the first half of September this year, said deputy head of the interim Kyrgyz government Omurbek Tekebayev at a meeting with businessmen of the country.. He said that preparations for parliamentary elections will begin immediately after the referendum, scheduled for June 27 this year. The legitimate authorities should be formed in the short time he said. “Otherwise, the current situation will be escalated” added Tekebayev.

Previously, CEC announced that parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan will be held October 10, 2010.

CEC registered 108 international observers

CEC of Kyrgyzstan registered 108 international observers for the referendum scheduled for June 27, 2010.

Also it is planned, that OSCE will send more 300 short-term international observers who will monitor election process on the day of referendum.

Statement of Shanghai Cooperation Organization in connection with events in southern Kyrgyzstan

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is expressing deep concern in connection with the tragic events in southern Kyrgyzstan which have resulted in numerous human casualties and cruel acts of violence.

The SCO member states are appealing for an end to the rampant crime, chaos and lawless actions being instigated by the forces that aim to provoke a confrontation between nationalities and ethnicities who have for centuries been living side by side in Kyrgyzstan in a spirit of friendship and understanding.
While expressing hope for the earliest possible stabilization of the situation, restoration of law and order as well as interethnic harmony, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is confident that the wise people of Kyrgyzstan will secure a peaceful and prosperous future for their country.

While underlining the importance of normalization of the political situation in Kyrgyzstan for the sake of maintaining peace and security in the whole region of Central Asia, the SCO member states note the need to provide emergency humanitarian aid to the victims, including the refugees, most of whom have been staying on the territory of Uzbekistan.

Switzerland to provide financial support to children and women from conflict zones in Kyrgyzstan

The Swiss Cooperation Office in the Kyrgyz Republic will allocate 6,9 million soms (150 000 Swiss francs) to support children and women from conflict-hit zones in the country.

In the light of tragic events in the south of Kyrgyzstan on June 11-16, 2010, there is a high need to evacuate the children from Osh and Jalalabat regions, who became orphans, and pregnant and breast feeding women. 

Several NGOs of Kyrgyzstan united with the purpose to organize the evacuation of children and women to Bishkek for the support and rehabilitation. This work will be coordinated and implemented by the Institute for Regional Research together with a number of NGOs in close collaboration with the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Swiss Cooperation Office in the Kyrgyz Republic.  

At the moment the organizations are busy with the evacuation and locating of children and women, who lack of relatives in north of the country. By the time of their arrival children and women will be placed at camps and crisis centers with assured security service. In addition, these children and women will be provided with psychological rehabilitation and medical services. 

Russia, U.S. consider referendum in Kyrgyzstan to be important stabilization factor

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the forthcoming referendum on a new constitution in the ex-Soviet Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan will be important for stabilization of a situation in the country, Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry said that the officials had a telephone conversation on Sunday.

"Exchanging opinions on a situation in Kyrgyzstan, Sergei Lavrov and Hillary Clinton stressed the importance of an upcoming on June 27 referendum on a draft of a new constitution for a stabilization of a situation in the country and its return to a legal framework," the ministry's statement said.

Lavrov and Clinton said that most efforts of the international community should be made to help Kyrgyzstan to overcome humanitarian consequences of the crisis, including coordination of the humanitarian assistance to the country.

On Saturday the United Nations launched an appeal to collect $71 million in aid for violence-hit Kyrgyzstan.

Earlier Kyrgyzstan's interim government asked Russia for peacekeeping assistance, but Russia said the situation did not suppose that Russia's armed forces could be used in the republic as "it is an internal conflict." Russia sent humanitarian aid and helped take out those injured.

Violent clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek groups in southern Kyrgyzstan broke out in the city of Osh on June 11 and then spread to the neighboring Jalalabad region, leaving nearly 200 dead and more than 2,000 injured according to official figures. Kyrgyz leaders admit that the real death toll could be 10 times higher.

Former Kyrgyz president Kurmanbek Bakiyev took refuge in Belarus after being deposed as a result of mass riots in April.

On Saturday Kyrgyz authorities extended the emergency situation in a number of districts in the Osh region of the Central Asian republic to June 25.

322 tons of humanitarian aid delivered to the south of Kyrgyzstan

322 tons of humanitarian aid delivered to the south of Kyrgyzstan on June 18-19.

192 tons to Osh and 130 tons to Jalalabad oblasts.

The special committee works on the distribution of humanitarian aid.

All information based on the newswire of the Zpress.kg news agency