Kyrgyzstan: investigation and stabilisation needed

Following the outbreak of violence in Kyrgyzstan, an investigation is needed into the events but the EU can meanwhile help in international efforts to stabilise the country ahead of the October parliamentary elections, says the European Parliament in a resolution adopted on Thursday.

MEPs express grave concern at the violent inter-ethnic clashes in the southern cities of Osh and Jalal-Abad. They condemn the violence and call for an impartial and independent investigation. The Kyrgyz authorities are asked to secure a return to normality and to enable the 100,000 people who sought refuge in nearby Uzbekistan and the 300,000 who have been internally displaced, mainly form the Uzbek minority, to return voluntarily to their homes.

Interim leader Rosa Otunbayeva was sworn in as president of Kyrgyzstan on 3 July following the 27 June referendum on a new constitution putting in place a parliamentary democracy. The legislative elections, provisionally scheduled for October 2010, should give the constitutional basis for the creation of a pluralistic political system, says the resolution.

MEPs look forward to establishing links with the future Kyrgyz Parliament. They also urge the local authorities to adopt confidence-building measures and to start a genuine dialogue with all the ethnic communities living in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Preventing violence and establishing stability and democracy

Turning to the international community's role, Parliament calls on the Commission to step up humanitarian assistance but it also believes a new level of EU engagement in southern Kyrgyzstan will be needed in the longer term as well. MEPs are concerned about the difficulties of the democratisation process and the strength of criminal networks, including drug-smugglers in the southern part of the country.

Lastly, the resolution emphasises that the humanitarian response must be accompanied by efforts to prevent the risk of renewed violence, which could threaten peace and security in other parts of the Ferghana Valley, shared by Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. An OSCE police mission should be deployed quickly with the support of the EU High Representative, says Parliament.