Washington, DC - The United States congratulates the people of the Kyrgyz Republic for exercising their democratic rights during the recent parliamentary elections. President Atambaev, the Jogorku Kenesh, the Central Election Commission, and many governmental and civil society groups contributed to an election that advanced the democratic process in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observation mission and the Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society, a highly respected local NGO, noted in their preliminary reports that the election process was competitive and provided voters with a wide range of choice. Moreover, the government’s introduction of new voting technologies demonstrated its commitment to improving the election process, and appears to have been successful in curtailing abuses of the past.

The OSCE/ODIHR observation mission noted concerns about the inclusiveness of the voter list, ballot secrecy, vote counting procedures and the availability of impartial information. Despite concerns about irregularities, these elections are an important step toward consolidating Kyrgyzstan’s democratic development. The United States looks forward to working with the people of Kyrgyzstan and their elected representatives on the basis of mutual respect and mutual interests.