Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the worst scenario for Kyrgyzstan, hit by inter-ethnic clashes, would be in case Taliban-style radicals come to power amid the ongoing unrest in the country.
Violent clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek groups in southern Kyrgyzstan broke out in the city of Osh on June 11 and then spread to the neighboring Jalalabad region, leaving over 190 dead and more than 2,000 injured according to official figures.
"The most dangerous scenario would develop in case radicals come to power. When people lose faith in the ability of the authorities to establish order... we might see Kyrgyzstan that will be developing in line with the Afghan scenario, which is the scenario of the Taliban period and... it will be extremely dangerous for our country [Russia] and Central Asian countries," Medvedev said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
Kyrgyzstan plans to hold a referendum on the adoption of the country's new constitution on June 27.
The country's interim government, led by Roza Otunbayeva, took power on April 7 amid violent protests. Ex-president Kurmanbek Bakiyev fled the country and later resigned.
Presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan are to be held in October, 2011, and the new Kyrgyz leader will come into power the following January. Until then, Otunbayeva will have presidential powers.
MOSCOW, June 18 (RIA Novosti)
