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Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev - Source: Reuters -
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A defiant Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said he would not
resign and that any attempt to kill him would drown Kyrgyzstan in
blood.
Speaking to Reuters in a tent at an undisclosed location in his
home region of Jalalabad, Bakiyev said he was prepared to talk to
the new, self-proclaimed government of Kyrgyzstan but did not
recognise its legitimacy.
"Although they are an illegitimate government, let's sit at the
negotiating table," said Bakiyev, wearing a dark blue suit and
open-necked shirt.
The president, who fled the capital after his government was
overthrown on April 7-8, warned any attempt to kill him would have
bloody consequences for Kyrgyzstan, a nation of 5.3 million people
that hosts both US and Russian military air bases.
"I would like to warn those who are now hunting for me: don't be
contract killers, because this will only bring huge tragedy to the
country," he said.
"We will drown in blood if they opt for physical elimination. If
they use force, then those people surrounding me will not let it
happen, and this will mean bloodshed."
Bakiyev, 60, said United Nations peacekeeping forces were necessary
to prevent continuing chaos in the impoverished but strategically
important Central Asian state.
"Criminal structures have jumped out of the shadows. They are
starting openly to roam around with weapons in their hands and the
redistribution of property is again taking place, as well as the
seizure of private businesses," he said.
At least 81 people died during violent protests in Bishkek
during which government troops opened fire on a crowd of more than
5,000 demonstrators on a square outside the presidential White
House.
Bakiyev said he did not order the shootings and that his troops
retaliated immediately after a sniper targeted his office in the
White House.
"I have not fled (the country) because, first of all, I do not feel
any guilt," he said. He added, however, that he felt regret as
president for being unable to prevent the deaths.
"I invite an independent, international commission to investigate
these tragic events of April 7-8, because there cannot be any trust
in all these investigative bodies that have launched criminal
proceedings against me," he said.
"If this international commission were to find the president
guilty, I am prepared to bear full responsibility before my
nation."
