BISHKEK, March 30 (RIA Novosti) - Kyrgyzstan's parliament approved Friday opposition leader, Almaz Atambayev, as prime minister. On Thursday Bakiyev approved Prime Minister Azim Isabekov's resignation and appointed Atambayev, 51, as acting premier. "Almaz Atambayev's nomination for prime minister is a genuine step in meeting opposition demands," Bakiyev said. Atambayev, the former chairman of the For Reforms movement, which staged protests in Bishkek last spring and fall, will tackle the formation of a coalition government and said Friday he would form a new Cabinet before Monday. "I hope the government will be formed by Monday," Atambayev said. "Constitution reform should be launched in the next few months, maybe even weeks," he said. Atambayev ran for president in 2000 and was the minister of industry, trade and tourism from September 30, 2005 until he resigned on April 24, 2006 for failing to accept Bakiyev's policy. "I will hold consultations with all political parties and parliamentary factions without exception," he said, adding that his government would lead an "anti-crisis management" in the country. The Kyrgyz united opposition said Friday it was ready to negotiate with President Bakiyev if he met all its demands, and, launched constitution reform, before April 5. Temir Sariyev, a co-chairman of the For Reforms opposition movement, said, "If the president meets our demands and adopts a new constitution, we will sit at the negotiating table and propose that political forces sign a memorandum." Otherwise, he said, his movement would join the United Front, formed by former prime minister Felix Kulov, and rally for early presidential elections on April 11. Another opposition member, Kabai Karabekov, said, "We will not stop our protests, because anyone in the post of premier will be unable to change anything in the country. Today, only one person, President Bakiyev, has absolute power," he said. On March 24, 2005, the so-called "tulip revolution" was staged in Kyrgyzstan that toppled the longtime leader Askar Akayev in 2005. Opposition protests last fall resulted in the adoption of a new constitution that delegated much of the president's authority to the legislature, effectively turning Kyrgyzstan into a parliamentary republic. In December, however, parliament voted in another constitution draft, which returned to the president virtually all previously ceded powers.
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