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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| After bloodshed, Kyrgyzstan backs new constitution |
| 2010-06-28 |
| (Reuters) - Kyrgyzstan's leader said on Sunday the country had voted to create Central Asia's first parliamentary democracy, in a landmark referendum only two weeks after an explosion of ethnic bloodshed killed hundreds. Roza Otunbayeva said Kyrgyzstan had embarked on a path to establishing a "true people's democracy" in contrast to previous presidential systems in the former Soviet republic. She made her comments before the release of preliminary official results. "The new constitution of the Kyrgyz republic has been approved," Otunbayeva told a news conference in the capital Bishkek after earlier voting amid heavy security at a university in Osh, her home city and epicenter of the violent clashes. "We are proud of our people. We are proud of our country, which made this choice at a difficult hour." |
| Posted by:Steve White |