Kyrgyzstan: UN calls for greater stability after peaceful presidential poll

United Nations officials today commended the people of Kyrgyzstan for their peaceful conduct of presidential elections yesterday, saying the polls were a demonstration of the people’s support for stability and urging political leaders in the Central Asian country to resolve disputes in accordance with the law.

Urging political forces in the country to work together to ensure a stable post-electoral period, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, assured the people of Kyrgyzstan of the continued support of the UN, including through the efforts of his Special Representative for Central Asia, Miroslav Jenca, and the UN Country Team, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.

Mr. Jenca who visited Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, on election day, took note of the preliminary results and the reports of poll monitoring missions. He stressed that the election should contribute to a democratic, secure and prosperous future for all citizens of Kyrgyzstan.

Preliminary results quoted in the press indicated that former Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev was in the lead.

Mr. Jenca met with President Roza Otunbaeva, Speaker of Parliament Akhmatbek Keldibekov, Chair of the Central Election Commission Tuigunaly Abdraimov and Deputy Foreign Minister Dinara Kemelova during his two-day visit, according to a statement issued by his office.

He also conferred with heads of poll monitoring missions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), as well as local civil society organizations.

The presidential poll was held over a year after the Central Asian country experienced deadly clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks that killed hundreds of people and displaced an estimated 375,000 others.

It was planned as part of a transitional programme established in the wake of the departure of ex-president Kurmanbek Bakiyev after a violent uprising against his rule in April last year.