Uzbek president wants international investigation into Kyrgyz violence
TASHKENT – Uzbek President Islam Karimov called on Monday for an international investigation into the violent clashes between Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks in the south of Kyrgyzstan in June, RIA Novosti reports quoting Uzbek Foreign Ministry spokesman.
Karimov said an "unbiased" independent international probe could "open the way to reconciliation and harmony between the Kyrgyz and Uzbek minority in southern Kyrgyzstan."
He also warned that a failure to do so could see a repeat of June's violence, which killed some 300 people, according to official estimates. Unofficial estimates say as many as 2,000 people may have lost their lives. Tens of thousands of people were also left homeless by the disorder.
Karimov added that an international investigation would help to bring to justice those responsible for the outbreak of violence.
Kyrgyzstan has accused the country's former leader, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, of being behind this summer's disorder. He has denied the claims. Bakiyev was toppled during violent street protests this April and later fled to Belarus.
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