Kyrgyzstan warns US against ‘interference’ in election

[TexasLawyer]

They obviously don't appreciate all the US advancements in democracy and liberty and freedom around the globe. And why wouldn't they want their election to meet Washington’s standards ?

Reported in Daily Times, Pakistan
Kyrgyzstan warns US against ‘interference’ in election

Sunday, February 27, 2005

BISHKEK: The government of Kyrgyzstan expressed displeasure Saturday at recent comments by the US ambassador here on elections this weekend and warned the United States that interference in the ex-Soviet republic’s internal affairs could have “unpredictable” consequences.

“Such statements are regrettable,” Foreign Minister Talant Kushchubekov said on state radio in response to public comments earlier this month by US Ambassador Stephen Young on key legislative elections to take place Sunday in the Central Asian state. Young said in an interview with Kyrgyz media on February 18 that failure by the authorities to ensure that Sunday’s vote met Washington’s democratic standards would have a negative impact on Bishkek’s relations with the United States and the rest of the world.

Kushchubekov said the Kyrgyz government intended to pursue political reforms in the country, had taken all necessary precautions to make sure the vote was free, fair and in line with international democratic norms and saw “no reason” for the US envoy to raise such concerns. afp

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_27-2-2005_pg4_11

[Sufi Marmot]

1. The Central Asian governments are very nervous...

They saw how the old Soviet-era holdovers in Georgia and the Ukraine were deposed by populist movements (with outside support), and they fear that they're next. I'm not sure that what happened in Georgia and the Ukraine will happen in Central Asia, though (at least not yet). Those countries aren't European or Europe-oriented, they are substantially poorer with less of a middle class, and they are Islamic nations with no real history of representative democracy or populism.

-SM

[mordarlar]

2. I thought bush said we would not force our STYLE OF GOVERNMENT.

[magellan]

3. Even if Young meant Washington STATE's democratic standards

...which adhere to the Rule of Law rather than The Law of the Jungle (much to Republican chagrin), this thuggish brand of diplomacy is at best unconstructive.

In other words, just another day with BushCo in power.