Kyrgyzstan's deposed President Askar Akayev has signed his resignation, a step that will allow the new leadership to restore stability and prepare for a new presidential election.
The veteran leader formally stepped down Monday in a ceremony at the Kyrgyz embassy in Moscow, where he had fled after opposition groups seized power in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on March 24.
His resignation, effective Tuesday, comes a day after he met with a delegation of Kyrgyz lawmakers headed by parliament speaker Omurbek Tekebayev.
Mr. Akayev also taped a message to the nation, which will be played to a session of the Kyrgyz parliament on Tuesday and then broadcast on Kyrgyz television.
By stepping down, Mr. Akayev removes the last major obstacle to holding new presidential elections tentatively scheduled for June 26th.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
