This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6105610.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Kyrgyz opposition to hold protest | Kyrgyz opposition to hold protest |
| (about 18 hours later) | |
| Opposition leaders in Kyrgyzstan plan to hold mass protests on Thursday to call for the resignation of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. | |
| The protest calls came after talks with the president failed to meet all the protesters' demands for reforms they say are needed to end corruption. | The protest calls came after talks with the president failed to meet all the protesters' demands for reforms they say are needed to end corruption. |
| President Bakiyev did promise to curb some of his powers and give parliament and the cabinet greater authority. | President Bakiyev did promise to curb some of his powers and give parliament and the cabinet greater authority. |
| A new draft constitution is due to go before parliament on Thursday. | A new draft constitution is due to go before parliament on Thursday. |
| If approved, the cabinet will automatically resign and parliament will form a new one with broader powers. | If approved, the cabinet will automatically resign and parliament will form a new one with broader powers. |
| 'Not satisfied' | 'Not satisfied' |
| But opposition leaders said the president would not agree to most of their other demands, which includes firing top officials accused of corruption and other abuses. | But opposition leaders said the president would not agree to most of their other demands, which includes firing top officials accused of corruption and other abuses. |
| "We still want his resignation. It [the compromise] looks great only on paper. We are not satisfied," opposition member Melis Eshimkanov said. | "We still want his resignation. It [the compromise] looks great only on paper. We are not satisfied," opposition member Melis Eshimkanov said. |
| A large turnout at the rallies is expected, correspondents say, as people are reportedly descending on the capital Bishkek from across the country. | |
| President Bakiyev won a landslide election victory in 2005, after a popular revolution drove long-time President Askar Akayev from power in the impoverished Central Asian state. | President Bakiyev won a landslide election victory in 2005, after a popular revolution drove long-time President Askar Akayev from power in the impoverished Central Asian state. |
| But people complain they have seen no improvement in their standard of living since then, and accuse the government of failing to tackle what they describe as widespread corruption. | But people complain they have seen no improvement in their standard of living since then, and accuse the government of failing to tackle what they describe as widespread corruption. |