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Albright Central Asian tour continues in Kyrgyzstan |
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April 17, 2000
BISHKEK, APR 16 (AP) – U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Sunday arrived in Kyrgyzstan on a visit intended to urge the former Soviet republic to improve its human rights standards and help it cope with external security threats.
Kyrgyzstan, a poor mountainous country of 4 million people, had been considered the most democratic country to emerge from former Soviet Central Asia. But President Askar Akayev, who has led the country since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, has increasingly cracked down on dissent in recent months.
Felix Kulov, a former vice president and mayor of Bishkek and leader of the opposition Ar Namys party, has been in jail since March for organizing demonstrations against the government.
Another prominent opposition activist, Daniyar Usenov, was detained earlier this month for refusing the services of a court-appointed lawyer, but was released shortly afterward.
Both parties were barred from taking part in the runoff parliamentary elections in March that monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said did not meet OSCE standards.
The monitors said violations included people being handed ballots already marked with pro-government candidates, officials blocking observers from viewing the count and the disqualification of opposition candidates for what the OSCE said were trivial charges.
Askayev, after a morning meeting with Albright, said he would heed the OSCE criticism. "We acknowledge the OSCE criticism and will take all necessary steps to avoid such shortcomings in the presidential elections," later this year, he said.
Albright told reporters, "we spoke about the importance of Kyrgyzstan following through on the recommendations made by the OSCE and the president himself has now made very clear his commitment to those recommendations."
She said, "we spoke about the very war friendship between the United States and Kyrgyzstan and our support for territorial integrity and sovereignty of this country."
A senior State Department official traveling with Albright said the United States would provide financial assistance to Kyrgyzstan to help it strengthen its borders to prevent the influx of Islamic militants and drug traffickers.
"The secretary is bringing with her a package of security measures to show them we are committed to their sovereignty and independence, not just in words but in deeds," the official said.
Last summer, several hundred Islamic fighters invaded Kyrgyzstan from Tajikistan engaging government troops and holding a dozen hostages for more than two months.
Porous borders combines with official corruption have contributed to a booming narcotics trade, with drugs being carried along the ancient Silk Route from Afghanistan to Russia and the West via Tajikistan.
While promising financial support for cash-strapped Kyrgyz customs and border services, U.S. officials stressed the best defense against the flow of drugs and incursion of militants would be a strong democracy.
"The message is we are going to help you on your terrorist and border problems, but you have to help yourself by getting back on the democratic path," another senior State Department official said.
Albright, on her first trip to Central Asia, visited Kazakstan on Saturday and is to leave for Uzbekistan later Sunday.
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