New The York Times > AP > International > Kulov to Seek Kyrgyzstan Presidency
April 1, 2005 Kulov to Seek Kyrgyzstan Presidency By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 3:06 p.m. ET BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AP) -- An opposition figure jailed by ousted President Askar Akayev said Friday he would run for Kyrgyzstan's presidency, setting up what could be a brutal showdown against the acting leader of the Central Asian state shaken by last week's uprising. Felix Kulov, who was released from prison last week when protesters stormed the government headquarters and opposition leaders seized power, also sharply disagreed with his chief rival over Akayev's resignation. Kulov, who was widely seen as a political prisoner, is among the best-known opponents of Akayev. He said he expects to be cleared soon of the charges against him, allowing him to enter the June 26 presidential race. Acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev also has announced plans to run. The election could become a test of whether Kyrgyzstan can avert new unrest and prevent a potentially catastrophic north-south rift. Kulov hails from the more prosperous north, while Bakiyev's base is south of the mountain ranges that divide this strategic nation of 5 million. Kulov said Friday an agreement had been reached not to aggravate regional tensions. The March 24 uprising followed other upheavals in the ex-Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia, but looting and sporadic violence marred the opposition's victory. Securing Akayev's formal resignation is seen by many Kyrgyz as a necessary step to legitimize the takeover by the divided opposition and ease the uncertainty that has gripped this nation. Kulov said Akayev remains the legitimate president, which could call the June 26 vote into question unless he returns to Kyrgyzstan to resign. ``He can resign only during a parliamentary session, there is no other way,'' Kulov told reporters. ``He needs to resign as soon as possible, so we can begin the election. But the president remains. How can that be?'' Bakiyev, however, has warned Akayev not to return from Russia, where he sought refuge, said and his security cannot be guaranteed. ``He shouldn't come to Kyrgyzstan, whether it's for five or ten minutes,'' Bakiyev was quoted by Russia's Interfax news agency as saying. ``It will cause a huge amount of negative feeling and discontent.'' Bakiyev, who is also prime minister, said lawmakers should travel to Moscow to secure Akayev's resignation there. ``This issue should not be dragged out,'' Interfax quoted him as saying. Kulov said the Kyrgyz constitution, which he helped draft, doesn't allow for that unless Akayev is medically incapable of returning. ``Really is it difficult to protect one president from five or 10 hooligans? ... The people are not going to kill Akayev,'' he said. Tensions between Bakiyev and Kulov were reported almost as soon as the opposition swept to power. In a nod to Kulov's popularity in the capital, Bakiyev tapped him for the job of restoring order to Bishkek's streets after the outbreak of looting. Kulov resigned from the post on Wednesday, saying he'd accomplished his task. ``Bakiyev is a remarkable person. He is my friend,'' Kulov said, adding that he didn't want to comment on the acting leader's politics until he had seen his presidential campaign program.
In interviews from outside Moscow, Akayev has...