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Calls Mount For Kyrgyz President To Resign


7 March 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The opposition in Kyrgyzstan is calling for early presidential elections and an annulment of the results of parliamentary balloting late last month.

The leader of the opposition People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiev, late yesterday called for early presidential elections while addressing a group of protesters in the southern city of Jalal-Abad.

"In accordance with the [Kyrgyz] Constitution, there early elections should be held. I suppose that the outgoing parliament with two chambers has to continue its activities. Parliament has to be convened soon and it has to give a political assessment to the current elections. I have three such proposals," Bakiev said.

Today, the opposition Ata-Jurt movement joined in calling for early elections and for prolonging the current parliament's term by one year.

Protests against election results and the barring of opposition candidates from the second round of parliamentary elections continued today.

In Jalal-Abad some 3,000 demonstrators occupied the regional administration building. Another 300 protesters were occupying the district administration building in the Osh Oblast town of Uzgen.

About 1,500 people demonstrated outside the regional administration building in the eastern city of Naryn.

(RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service)

For news, background, and analysis on Kyrgyzstan's 27 February parliamentary elections, see RFE/RL's webpage "Kyrgyzstan Votes 2005".

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