Addressing the situation in the Kyrgyz Republic in Central Asia, Markus Löning, the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, issued the following statement today (16 April):

“Following the departure and resignation of former President Bakiyev, there is reason to be hopeful about the situation in Kyrgyzstan. The interim government has announced that it will respect human rights, submit a new constitution to referendum and hold elections in six months.

I welcome this commitment to human rights, the rule of law and democracy. It is crucial for the country’s future that this promise is kept. Kyrgyzstan could thereby become a beacon of democracy and the rule of law that would shine throughout the entire region.

We will do what we can to support this process. Germany has a long-standing commitment to the rule of law and democracy in Central Asia. Under the German EU Presidency in 2007, the EU adopted a strategy for Central Asia with a focus on promoting human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

I have therefore invited the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development as well as the political foundations to a joint discussion next week on possible support measures.”

Read more on Germany's bilateral relations to Kyrgyzstan: