WASHINGTON, D.C.--Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) issued the following statement in response to Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, the first elections since a new Constitution was adopted in June, making Kyrgyzstan the first parliamentary republic in Central Asia:
"This weekend, the people of Kyrgyzstan went to the polls in a historic vote that could create Central Asia's first parliamentary democracy. In doing so, they sent an important signal about the peaceful transfer of power through the democratic process. The road ahead will not be easy, but these elections offer the promise of a new beginning for Kyrgyzstan, one which is inclusive and responsive to the needs of all of the country's citizens, regardless of ethnicity. I look forward to working with the new parliament to address issues of common concern to Kyrgyzstan and the United States."
###