Kyrgyzstan Confirms President's Resignation

The deposed president of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiev, has resigned and left the country. But the interim government says it wants to see him put on trial either inside the Central Asian nation or by an international court. Kyrgzstan's self-appointed provisional government says Mr. Bakiev is no longer "acting head of state" and the week-long standoff between him and the interim leadership has been resolved. The appointed head of the provisional government, Rosa Otunbayeva, early Friday read out the text of what she says is Bakiev's resignation, sent by fax to her from Kazakhstan. In his resignation, Ms. Otunbayeva says, President Bakiev writes that during these tragic days for the country, realizing all the responsibility for the future of the people, for the preservation of the country's unity, in accordance with article 50 of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, he resigns. The interim government says Mr. Bakiev, accused of leading a nepotistic and corrupt government, must be held accountable for any crimes he might be charged with. Ms. Otunbayeva's chief of staff, Edil Baisalov, told reporters that in view of the president's rule, the opposition had a "patriotic duty" during last week's turmoil to "seize power." "We were voicing our protests against political killings and murders and beatings and closing down newspapers and media channels. The legitimate government of Kyrgyzstan is now the interim government," he said. The provisional leadership is promising to rewrite the constitution and hold national elections within six months. Neighbor Kazakhstan, which currently chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, played a major role in persuading the deposed president to leave Kyrgyzstan. And that was where Mr. Bakiev headed late Thursday on a military aircraft. The president had fled the capital and headed south last week after his security forces fired on demonstrators outside government buildings in Bishkek. Hundreds of protesters were shot. At least 84 have died. Russian and American diplomats also helped the struggling Central Asian former Soviet republic defuse its political crisis. Russia and the United States are the top aid givers to Kyrgyzstan. Both countries, which have military facilities in Kyrgyzstan, are pledging further financial help.

Kyrgyz Interim Government Has Backing of Military, US

Interim Kyrgyz leader Roza Otunbayeva meets with petitioners from a rural village inside the Defense Ministry in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, which is her temporary office, 12 Apr 2010

Kyrgyzstan's interim government is trying to cut a deal with the country's defiant president who had fled south after last week's bloodshed in the capital. The continuing standoff has the Central Asian nation concerned about further violence.

Kyrgyzstan's five-day-old provisional government is vowing to use the country's military to launch a special operation to neutralize President Kurmanbek Bakiyev if he does not resign.

Interim Kyrgyz leader Roza Otunbayeva says her government is willing to negotiate his departure from the country and wants to resolve the standoff without any more harm to innocent civilians.

Otunbayeva says she and her deputies are running the country, but acknowledges there may be some armed elements still supporting the president, who is in a southern village.

"We have full control of military forces throughout the country ... and internal security and police," Otunbayeva said. "But some of them yes, they have probably have sympathies [to Bakiyev]. I should tell the truth because those forces have been formed up by Bakiyev's family, his brother and other allies."

Speaking to supporters in the village of Teyit, Mr. Bakiyev, said there is an attempt to divide the country between north and south. He referred to the provisional government as "gangsters."

Speaking to reporters later, he dared the forces of the provisional government to try to seize or destroy him. He says such an attempt would lead to "so much bloodshed that no one could justify."

The president was effectively ousted after last Wednesday's clashes between government forces and protesters. Authorities say about 80 people have died and more than 1,600 were wounded.

A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek says it will not give shelter to the president nor help him leave the country.

After a meeting with Ms. Otunbayeva, the top EU representative to Central Asia, Pierre Morel, denied the bloc is involved in any mediation between the provisional leaders and the president.

"We are not," said Morel. "This is not our role. We are here to understand and to help and support. This is not our role, we are just consulting."

The United States maintains a key logistical military air base outside Bishkek to support NATO operations to fight insurgents in Afghanistan. Kyrgyz government officials say they will discuss the fate of the facility, which has an annual lease, at an appropriate time.

U.S. military officials say refueling operations and transit flights have fully resumed at the Manas base, following a hiatus due to the political upheaval.