Kyrgyzstan will not be big powers’ pawn, says newly elected president

KYRGYZSTAN’S new president has said the Central Asian country will pursue an independent foreign policy, and will not be “a place for the fulfilment of someone else’s geopolitical interests”.

Kurmanbek Bakiyev, a former opposition leader who has been acting president since coming to power during a March 24 popular uprising, won a landslide victory in a July 10 presidential election and was inaugurated Sunday as the new leader of the former Soviet republic.

Kyrgyzstan hosts about 1,000 US-led troops to support combat operations in Afghanistan - a presence which became particularly important after neighbouring Uzbekistan demanded the withdrawal of US troops within 180 days.