Bakiyev offered political asylum in Belarus

The overthrown president of Kyrgyzstan received this invitation from the Belarusian ruler.

Kurmanbek Bakiyev told journalists Belarus offered him political asylum. “I said no,” Reuters quotes the ex-president of Kyrgyzstan, who escaped from Bishkek and hides in southern Kyrgyzstan.

The overthrown president of Kyrgyzstan thanked Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who yesterday called the events in Bishkek an “anticonstitutional coup”.

As Radio Svabdoa informs, Kurmanbek Bakiyev is to hold a meeting with representatives of the Kyrgyz temporary government.

On April 14, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said the recent events in Kyrgyzstan were an “anticonstitutional coup”. He said the policy of the US and Russia was “very bad and short-sighted”. We remind that Moscow and Washington in fact supported the overthrow of power in Kyrgyzstan and recognized the new leadership of the republic, though president Kurmanbek Bakiyev hasn’t retired yet.

“They should have stated that such actions of the Kyrgyz opposition were unacceptable. God forbid, something like that should happen in Belarus,” Lukashenka said. “God forbid the Kyrgyz opposition would imprison or worse shoot Bakiyev. It will backfire.”

“A year ago I talked to Bakiyev (we were on good terms). I told him plainly: watch out, Kurmanbek, you can step on the same rake,” Lukashenka said. “Kyrgyzstan is a poor country. It is ridiculous to blame Bakiyev for pilfering the country. He traveled many countries asking for loans. I know where he invested the money.”

“Don’t accuse Bakiyev of using force to protect the government,” Lukashenka said.