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Kyrgyz Parties Reportedly Near Agreement On Coalition Government


Social Democrat Almazbek Atambaev, seen here with President Roza Otunbaeva in April, would head the government that emerged from the purported deal.
Social Democrat Almazbek Atambaev, seen here with President Roza Otunbaeva in April, would head the government that emerged from the purported deal.
BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz Social Democratic Party spokesman Farid Niyazov says a preliminary agreement on the creation of the coalition government has been reached between the Social Democrats and the Respublika, and Ata-Meken (Fatherland) parties, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

Niyazov told RFE/RL that the leaders of the Social Democrats and Respublika factions in the parliament -- Almazbek Atambaev and Omurbek Babanov, respectively -- have approved a draft agreement on a coalition government and sent it to Ata-Meken leader Omurbek Tekebaev.

According to the draft agreement, Atambaev would serve as prime minister and Tekebaev as parliament speaker. Babanov is proposed for the post of first deputy prime minister.

Tekebaev is expected to make his view on the agreement public at an Ata-Meken party session scheduled for early on November 30.

Niyazov had said last week that several variants for creating a coalition were being discussed, including a government comprising the Social Democrats, Respublika, and the leading parliamentary party, Ata-Jurt. A spokesman for Ata-Jurt confirmed that it had been involved in such talks.

On November 11, Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbaeva instructed the Social Democrats -- who hold the second-most seats in parliament after Ata-Jurt -- to lead talks on establishing a coalition government among the five parties in parliament. She said the coalition should be formed in 15 working days, which set an unofficial deadline of December 1.

The Social Democrats and Ata-Meken are seen as the reformist parties in parliament and the closest to Otunbaeva. Respublika leader Babanov used to belong to the SDPK and is known to have good relations with Atambaev.
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