The Unites States Department of State calls Kyrgyzstan to restore programming of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack told in an interview with ITAR-TASS.
In his special statement McCormack said that the radio "contributed to free press establishment, open debates and democracy development in Kyrgyzstan."
As it was earlier reported the formal reason of the Azattyk programming removal was a $19,000 debt to the Kyrgyzstan's state-run radio and TV Corporation which for some reason were not transferred to the corporation's account.
"We have about 1,400 partners around the world and this the first time when we have to come to the place to settle the technical issue. As it turned out, the amount mentioned above arrived in Kyrgyzstan five times and was sent back to Washington because of the missing 16-number barcode of the Kyrgyz TV Corporation. We met the director of the corporation, who assured us that there in no political context. I believe that we will see positive results," Harry Thatcher, the RFE/RL Marketing and Foreign Broadcasting director said.
Melis Eshimkanov, the head of the Kyrgyz radio and TV broadcaster, in time, said the Azattyk programs are "too negative and too critical" of the government and claimed that programs will not be restored to the Kyrgyzstan's airwaves unless they are submitted to the government for prior approval, which was condemned as "unacceptable" conditions by the U.S.-funded radio authorities.
The Kyrgyz oppositional activists called the actions of government nothing but a clamp down on independent media in the country, reported 24.kg.