Secretary-General urges Kyrgyz President to stop forcing Uzbek asylum-seekers home

Responding to Kyrgyzstan's forced return of Uzbek asylum-seekers, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today asked the country's president to stop the practice and pledged the world body's support in addressing their plight.

Mr. Annan reminded President Kurmanbek Bakiev of Kyrgyzstan of his country's international obligations with respect to the asylum-seekers, a UN spokesman said in a statement released in New York.

The Secretary-General also pledged the UN's assistance in resolving the problem and asked the President to fully support the work of Assistant UN High Commissioner for Refugees Kamel Morjane, who will arrive in Kyrgyzstan this weekend, according to the statement.