SCO urges restoring Kyrgyzstan's stability through dialogue
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Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Friday called for restoring stability of turmoil-hit Kyrgyzstan through dialogue, saying they were willing to provide necessary support to the Central Asian country.
In a declaration issued at the end of the SCO summit in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, the SCO member countries reiterated their stance of supporting each other's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and opposing interference in the internal affairs of sovereign countries and actions that may trigger regional tensions.
Any difference should be settled through dialogue and consultations by political and diplomatic means, said the declaration of the SCO, which groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The member states emphasized that restoring Kyrgyzstan's political stability is significant to the entire region and they were willing to provide necessary support and assistance to Kyrgyzstan.
The Interior Ministry of the Kyrgyz interim government on Friday declared a state of emergency in the southern city of Osh after hundreds of youths smashed windows, looted shops and set fire to cars in the city.
Roza Otunbayeva, leader of the interim government, declared a curfew in Osh and the surrounding region between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time.
An official from the Health Ministry said Friday morning that at least 12 people were killed and over 100 others were injured in clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan overnight.
In mid-May, supporters of the Kyrgyz interim government and those of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev clashed in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad, during which tens of people were injured.
Riots broke out on April 6-7 across the country, resulting in the ouster of Bakiyev and the formation of an interim government.
At least 85 people were killed and thousands of others injured in clashes between anti-government protestors and security forces of Bakiyev's government.
