Akayev's resignation accepted

Kyrgyzstan's parliament accepted ousted President Askar Akayev's resignation yesterday and called an election for July 10 in a move to shore up stability in the impoverished Central Asian state.

Mr Akayev, who had ruled the mountainous, mostly Muslim nation of five million for almost 15 years, fled last month when thousands of protesters angered by a flawed parliamentary poll ransacked his offices and the opposition seized power.

Although he signed a resignation letter in Moscow last week, he remained technically in power until the parliament vote.

The likely two leading candidates to become the ex-Soviet state's next leader are acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, a former prime minister from the south of Kyrgyzstan, and Felix Kulov, a former security services chief from the north.

Mr Kulov, sprung from jail during two days of chaos and violence that followed Mr Akayev's ouster, had been jailed under Mr Akayev's rule on corruption and abuse of power charges that he said were politically motivated.

The Supreme Court overturned the corruption charges yesterday, following a ruling last week annulling the abuse of power verdict, freeing him to run for office.