Two Kyrgyz parties agree to form coalition

BISHKEK. October 27. KAZINFORM Two parties out of five that won the recent parliamentary election in Kyrgyzstan have agreed on Tuesday to form a ruling majority in the republic's new parliament; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.

A spokesman for the pro-government Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan told the Interfax news agency that his party was ready to create a coalition together with the Respublika party.

"The parties have reached a tentative agreement to work jointly within a possible ruling coalition. They are now discussing common positions on economic, political and social issues," said the spokesman.

The Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan was led by Almazbek Atambayev, a former prime minister and deputy leader of the interim government for a time. Respublika was led by Omurbek Babanov, a former parliamentary deputy and entrepreneur.

Both parties believed it was important to form a "strategic partnership with Russia," added the spokesman, who meanwhile did not exclude the possibility that another pro-government party, the Ata-Meken led by Omurbek Tekebayev, could also join the coalition.

However, everything remained undetermined for now, he said.

Meanwhile the other two opposition parties that won seats in the new Kyrgyz parliament, Ata-Jurt led by Kamchibek Tashiyev and Ar-Namys led by Felix Kulov, have been in negotiations over forming a coalition; Kazinform cites Xinhua.

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