BISHKEK, October 6. /TASS/. Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov said amid ongoing protests on Tuesday he is ready for talks with his political opponents.
"Regrettably, they are seeking to divide the nation, raising the issues of the north and the south. There are risks that the country will fall victim of not only internal but also foreign forces. That is one only one thing is to be done - we must sit down at the negotiating table, stop disputes," he said in an interview with the BBC Kyrgyz service. "As a legitimate president, and I have big authority as a legitimate president, I must united them and must be ready to hold talks with each of them. This is my duty and I am ready for that.".
He hailed the initiative of the opposition parties that has set up a coordination council and said he was convinced that this council wanted to get the situation back to the frames of the constitution. "I also call for that and I am ready to help them. I am the legitimate president and it depends on me too," he stressed. "But now groups that are vying for power have divided into more groups. Their ambitions are frightening. I am worried over the situation. It should not have happened but it did happen. We must find a way out of it. My key role is to unite all."
According to Jeenbekov, possible way out of the crisis might be organization of new elections or division of power between political forces.
Following the October 4 parliamentary polls in Kyrgyzstan, supporters of those parties which failed to win seats in the parliament organized mass riots in central Bishkek. On Monday night into Tuesday morning, the protesters seized the parliamentary building, which also houses the presidential administration, the government, the mayor’s office and the prosecutor general’s office. They also released former President Almazbek Atambayev, ex-Prime Minister Sapar Isakov and some other politicians from custody. The country’ Central Election Commission has declared the voting results as invalid.