Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 14/ Trend , V. Zhavoronkova, E. Ostapenko/ Experts say the Kyrgyz opposition is interested in talks with the President. However, the dialogue is most likely to be held only with the loyal part of opposition.
"I believe that opposition forces, for instance, United Popular Movement are interested in a dialogue with the President," European expert on Central Asia Jos Boonstra told Trend in via e-mail.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev announced in a press conference that he is prepared to launch a dialogue even with a radical opposition. The Head of the State and his opponents have tense relations. Last month, the Kyrgyz united opposition forces send a message to the President to resign voluntarily.
They claim that Bakiev could not safeguard the Constitution and rights and freedoms of citizens. The country faced hard economic situation during his tenure.
Experts say despite opposition opposes the President, they need talks with him.
Boonstra said the Kyrgyz citizens face very hard energy and economic problems. Therefore the opposition needs dialogue to address serious problems together.
Public discontent is rising steadily in Kyrgyzstan as a result of lacking energy resources this winter, Boonstra added.
Citizens in the countryside and provincial towns only have a few hours of electricity a day; electricity is also used for heating in Kyrgyzstan. Also Kyrgyz industry and businesses are hit by shortages of energy which in turn affects the already weak economy.
Kyrgyz political expert Orozbek Moldaliyev believes that the opposition is prepared for a dialogue with the President. However, the dialogue can be held only with the pro-Bakiev opposition.
Some politicians consider them opposition and anticipate opportunity to take a post in the government. Therefore they gently criticize the government and take neutral stance, Moldaliyev said.
The former opposition leader Bakiev won in the snap election in 2005.
"The dialogue is underway only with them. But public believes that the talks are held with opposition," Moldaliyev told Trend from Bishkek.
Experts assess results of a possible dialogue between government and oppositions ambiguously.
In order to achieve results, the sides should seek common ground, deputy secretary general of the Zhani Kyrgyzstan party Marat Kayipov said. The common ground is integrity of the state, building democratic society and strong economy, ensuring agreement among all nationalists in the republic, maintaining cultural originality and state language.
Boonstra said issues under consideration for discussion could range from the governments approach of the energy crisis to the battle against corruption and from the governments policy to counter the negative results of the international financial crisis to mechanisms of power-sharing.
It is unlikely that a dialogue between the authorities and opposition will result in a regularly and productive exchange of views, he said.
A. Tanayev (Bishkek) contributed to the article.
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