Kyrgyzstan's Japarov sworn in as president

BISHKEK

Kyrgyzstan's Sadyr Japarov, once sentenced on hostage-taking charges, was sworn in on Thursday as the president of the Central Asian country.

He was elected as the sixth president of the ex-Soviet country with 79.20% of votes cast on Jan. 10 polls, when more than 1.3 million out of over 3.5 million registered voters cast their ballots.

Meanwhile, Kyrgyz people chose a presidential form of government over a parliamentary one in a national referendum held in parallel to the presidential vote.

Japarov, 52, who appeared on the stage in the ceremony hall accompanied by the Epic of Manas, received the presidential certificate of election from Nurjan Shaildabekova, the head of the Central Election Commission.

"I particularly feel the enormous responsibility before my people, who have more than 2,000 years of history," Japarov said after the national anthem.

Over 1,000 guests were invited to the inauguration ceremony held in the National Grand Concert Hall in the capital Bishkek.

The ceremony was also attended by Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who resigned from the presidency following three years at his post after the street protests on Oct. 5-15 last year.

Upon Jeenbekov's resignation, Japarov applied for the presidential candidacy and resigned from his post as the prime minister.

Speaking at the ceremony, Japarov thanked Russia for its support during the difficult times of the country and underlined that Kyrgyzstan shares a common destiny with neighboring Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

He also expressed the wish to increase economic and cultural ties with the strategic partners and to strengthen cooperation with Turkey.

Noting that they would prefer to pursue a multifaceted foreign policy, the newly elected president stressed that efforts will be made to cooperate especially with Central Asian countries, China, the US, and European states.

"We assumed the responsibility with our people in order to preserve national unity and peace in the country that is on the brink of chaos and lawlessness, and we have succeeded in stabilizing the situation in the country," he said, recalling that the nation recently ensured the annulment of the parliamentary election results and resignation of the president and the government.

The recent election in Kyrgyzstan came in the wake of protests which erupted last October after eight political parties rejected parliamentary election results, claiming the process was unfair.

The demonstrators stormed the parliament and other buildings and clashed with police, demanding new elections. In response, the election authority annulled the election results.

Clashes between protesters and security forces left at least one person dead and 590 others injured.

* Writing and contributions by Jeyhun Aliyev in Ankara