Chief of RA Police: events in Kirgizia unacceptable to Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Events in Kirgizia are unacceptable to us; the elected president can’t be overthrown by any forces in Armenia, Chief of RA Police Alik Sargsyan stated.

As he told a news conference in Yerevan, April events in Kirgizia are color revolution and Big Politics in action. “Unless the situation improves, the country will appear in standstill.”

“Armenia will never be witnessing similar events. In contrast to Kirgiz police, police of Armenia holds control over the situation in the country. We’ll nip in the bud any thought of power change through coup d'état, should anyone believe it conceivable,” Chief of Armenian Police emphasized.

As he noted, grave violation of public order is what usually precedes so-called color revolutions. “We won’t allow for color revolutions in Armenia, the former being manifestation of anarchy rather than democracy. Our police are there to guard people and not the authority. And I’m glad to note that Armenian opposition of today pursues civilized methods of struggle,” Alik Sargsyan stressed.

Protests against Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and his government began April 6 in the country's northwest and grew violent, spreading to other regions of the country, including the capital Bishkek. More than 80 people were killed and some 1,500 were injured. The opposition has formed an interim government and named Roza Otunbayeva prime minister. Bakiyev fled Bishkek and is in the country's south - his traditional stronghold.

Kyrgyzstan's interim government said on Tuesday it had issued a decree removing the immunity of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and threatened to arrest him if he does not return to Bishkek.

Deputy Prime Minister Azimbek Beknazarov told journalists on Tuesday that effective immediately, Bakiyev had no immunity from prosecution, enabling the authorities to issue a warrant for his arrest.

The ousted Bakiyev with dozens security staff has left the city of Jalal-Abad in southwestern Kyrgyzstan where earlier today his supporters held a rally.

However, the demonstration continued.

Around 2,000 people took part in the demonstration on the city's central square. Locals said the protesters might storm the administrative building, which is being used by representatives of the interim government.

Beknazarov said if the demonstrators called for a civil war, the government would have to take measures.

An aide to Bakiyev said the president was aware of the threat to arrest him.

"We already knew about this ultimatum. The president will comment on it himself," the aide said, adding that Bakiyev would hold a news conference at 4 p.m. local time (10:00 GMT).

The opposition has urged the president to resign and leave the country, but Bakiyev has said he will not step down.

In other developments, Supreme Court head Zhanyl Alieva was dismissed from the post and her first deputy Kubanychbek Mombekov has been appointed as acting chairman.

"All this time the Constitutional Court has defied the Constitution, backing the interests of the families of former President Askar Akayev and Bakiyev," Beznazarov said.

He said the court would not resume its duties until a new constitution had been adopted, RIA Novosti reported.