World mass media: Belarusian dictator approves of Bakiyev's crimes

Leading foreign mass media comment on Lukashenka's granting political asylum to ex-president of Kyrgyzstan Bakiyev.

Commenting on yesterday's statement of the Belarusian leader about shelter for the former Kyrgyz president and his family in Minsk, a US publication The New York Times forecasts that the present presence of Bakiyev in Belarus could further isolate Belarus and its authoritarian leader Lukashenka, who has often clashed with the West and neighboring Russia.

Lukashenka's decision looks, in particular, to be a swipe at Russia, which seemed to play at least a partial role in paving the way for Bakiyev’s ouster. Besides, the fact itself that the asylum had been granted, can deteriorate relations between Belarus and Kyrgyzstan considerably.

As a journalist of the newpspaer Michael Schwirtz writes, in this connection the term of stay of the ousted Kyrgyz president in Belarus remains unclear.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka is the only ruler i the post-Soviet area, who openly took the side of Kurmanbek Bakiyev and in fact approved this order on April 8 to opened fire on the protesters. The price of this order was 80 human lives, writes Germany-based Sudwest Presse. Besides, suspicions are vocalized by Minsk that Russian secret services stand behind the ouster of Bakiyev.

While Bakiyev who is in Minsk poses no threat, and the interim Kyrgyz government claims that the situation is under control, the situation in the country remains tense. As noted by Sudwest Presse, "Kyrgyzstan is governed by chaos". Legal norms, trade and so on - all that is dictated by the street still.

In his turn, the deputy chairman of the interim government of Kyrgyzstan, Finance Minister Temir Sariyev addressed the former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev through mass media with an appeal "to influence his supporters and stop unrest".

As said by Sariyev, Lukashenka's decision to grant asylum for Bakiyev is a choice of the Belarusian leadership.

"It's true, Bakiyev occupied the post of the president by people's efforts. But he has made a number of serious blunders: he started to establish an authoritarian regime, contributed to development of corruption, and finally ordered to start fire on people," stated the deputy chairman of the iterim government.

As Sariyev believes, Bakiyev should make a noble deed: address his supporters for them to stop inciting chaos and unrest in the south and north of the country. "In any case, the interim government is to seek accord based upon wide consensus of the population," Temir Sariyev said.

Meanwhile the situation in the region is tense.

As Voice of America reports, President Uzbekistan Islam Karimov who is in Moscow on an official visit, stated that "the present events in Kyrgyzstan constitute a threat for all neighbouring countries".