PARLIAMENT PASSES, PRESIDENT SIGNS NEW KYRGYZ

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001586

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL ASEC KG
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT PASSES, PRESIDENT SIGNS NEW KYRGYZ
CONSTITUTION; PROTEST TURNS TO CELEBRATION

REF: A. BISHKEK 1571

B. BISHKEK 1566

C. BISHKEK 1565

D. BISHKEK 1554

E. BISHKEK 1551

F. BISHKEK 1548

G. BISHKEK 1537 STATE 180495

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Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Late on November 8, the Kyrgyz Parliament
adopted a new constitution that appears to limit the powers
of the president and to increase the role of the parliament.
On November 9, President Bakiyev signed the new constitution
into effect, although under the terms of the agreement both
the President and Parliament will remain in office until
their terms end in 2010. This latest draft was the product
of a "reconciliation group" with members from the government
and the Parliament and co-chaired by State Secretary
Madumarov and Speaker Sultanov. The agreement on a new
constitution has effectively ended the opposition's
"indefinite" protest on Ala-too Square, as the rally has
turned into a "victory celebration." The pro-government
rally in front of the Parliament building ended early in the
afternoon. The compromise on a new constitution removes the
most contentious grievance of the opposition, but numerous
other issues remain, and the long struggle between President
Bakiyev and the opposition is far from over. Nevertheless,
people in Bishkek are in a celebratory mood, glad that the
struggle ended peacefully, and in a compromise. END SUMMARY.

Parliament Adopts New Constitution
--------------


2. (SBU) Late on November 8, the Kyrgyz Parliament voted to
adopt amendments to the constitution that substantially
changed the structure of the Kyrgyz government. The "new"
constitution appears to reduce the powers of the president,
while expanding the role of the parliament. Under its
provisions, the president loses his authority to appoint the
prime minister and ministers, and all ministries will be
under the prime minister. The parliament will expand from 75
to 90 members, half elected by party list and half from
single-member constituencies. The majority party in
parliament will nominate the prime minister and form the
government. President Bakiyev signed the amendments into
effect on November 9, but under the provisions of the
agreement, the president and the members of parliament will
remain in office until their terms expire in 2010. (Note:
Post has examined the Russian text of the new constitution,
and our preliminary analysis of the changes will be reported
septel. End Note.)

Protest Turns into Celebration
--------------


3. (SBU) Following the midnight vote in Parliament on
November 8, the opposition protest in Ala-too Square quickly
turned into a celebration, with demonstrators setting off
fireworks and music playing to the crowd. Opposition leaders
addressed the crowd, calling the compromise a victory for the
protesters. The celebratory atmosphere continued on November
9 after President Bakiyev signed the constitution into
effect. Demonstrators began dismantling their tents on
Ala-too Square, and families, women, and children began to
join the crowd. By 16:00 local, there was a crowd of
approximately 5000 on the square, listening to speeches and
music. Speakers told that crowd that they could go home
confident that they had achieved a victory. The
pro-government demonstration on nearby Old Square had also
ended by mid-afternoon, with the yurts dismantled and only a
handful of die-hard protesters on the square. And after a
week of mild, sunny weather, temperatures dropped and rain

BISHKEK 00001586 002.2 OF 002


clouds formed, portending a rapid end to the demonstration --
now a street party -- tonight.

Comment
--------------


4. (C) Adoption of a new constitution has brought to a
peaceful conclusion the week-long opposition demonstration.
Both government and opposition figures have portrayed this
compromise on the constitution as a victory, and the
opposition can rightly claim that it forced change through
non-violent protest. Opposition leader MP Omurbek Tekebayev
hailed the compromise, but groused that the price of the
compromise was that both Bakiyev and Kulov get to remain in
office until the end of their terms. And while the
constitutional issues appear to be settled (though much will
depend on implementation),many other issues remain
unresolved, such as the demand to turn state television into
public television, and the demand to remove Bakiyev's
relatives from office. Nevertheless, people in Bishkek are
in a celebratory mood, glad that the struggle ended
peacefully, and in a compromise.

YOVANOVITCH