Opposition protesters shout and wave their hands as they march through the southern Kyrgyz town of Osh, March 22. Protests in recent weeks are part of a "coup" plotted by criminals, Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev's spokesman said Tuesday.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)

Elderly Kyrgyz men shout and wave their hands at an opposition protest rally in the centre of southern Kyrgyz town of Jalal Abad, March 21, 2005. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

    ALMA-ATA, March 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Protests in recent weeks are part of a "coup" plotted by criminals, Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev's spokesman said Tuesday, reports from Kyrgyz capital Bishkek said.

    "The 'third force', criminal elements connected to the drug mafia, are in complete control of the situation in Osh and Jalal-Abad, and are struggling to gain power," Abdil Segizbayev said, referring to two southern towns where riots occurred in the past several days.

    He called the protests "a putsch and a coup" designed by criminals, the Interfax news agency reported.

    "The opposition no longer controls the situation," he added.

    Meanwhile, the head of Kyrgyzstan's election commission declared that the disputed election which has triggered protests in the south of the country was legitimate.

    Sulaiman Imanbayev, chairman of the central election commission,told reporters that the results published in the official gazette validated 69 out of 75 seats elected to the parliament.

    Earlier on Sunday, thousands of opposition supporters stormed government buildings in the southern town of Jalal-Abad, following protests Friday in nearby Osh, the second-biggest city in the country. At least four policemen were reported dead Sunday in the clashes.

    Kyrgyz President Akayev's supporters won a landslide victory in the parliament elections held on Feb. 27 with runoffs in many regions on March 13.

    The opposition refused to accept the results and accused the authorities of fraud in the election, demanding Akayev's resignation. Akayev has blamed the opposition leaders for inciting a civil war. Enditem

Kyrgyz president orders to track down rioters

    ALMA-ATA, March 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev on Monday ordered the Central Election Commission and the Supreme Court to investigate the riot in the south of the country and track down those behind the unrest, reports from Kyrgyz capital Bishkek said.

    The presidential press office said that Akayev summoned Chairman of the Central Election Commission Sulaiman Imanbayev and Justice Minister Kurmanbek Osmonov to discuss the issue.

Opposition protesters besiege a police station in southern Kyrgyz town of Jalal Abad, March 20, 2005. Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev on Monday ordered the Central Election Commission and the Supreme Court to investigate the riot in the south of the country and track down those behind the unrest. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

A police station in southern Kyrgyz town of Jalal Abad is seen set on fire by Opposition protesters, March 20. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

    During their meeting, the president said that it is true that not all people agree with the result of the election, but the situation is used by some people to press the current government, which resulted in mass violations of law, including assaulting andburning down security offices and taking over local government buildings.

    Akayev had ordered the Central Election Commission and the Supreme Court to investigate the election, telling them "to pay particular attention to those districts where election results provoked extreme public reaction ... and tell people openly who isright and who is wrong," said a statement from his office on Monday.

    But the president stressed that the recent election is fair in most districts except some possible technical problems, which could not affect the legitimacy of the result.

    Akayev's supporters won a landslide victory in the parliament elections held on Feb. 27 with runoffs in many regions on March 13.The opposition refused to accept the results and accused the authorities of fraud in the election.

    Following the election, the opposition rallied, blocked roads and occupied several government buildings, demanding Akayev's resignation. Akayev has blamed the opposition leaders for incitinga civil war.

    According to other reports, Akayev's spokesman Abdil Segizbayevsaid on Monday that the extremist forces and terrorist organizations may take advantage of the dispute to reach their ulterior aims, adding that the riots created by the opposition in the south are similar to extremist activities. Enditem