Who's Who in Kyrgyzstan's Interim Government

Who's Who in Kyrgyzstan’s Interim GovernmentInformation garnered from local Russian-language media sources. List subject to rapid, unpredictable and confusing change. Roza Otunbayeva – Head of Interim GovernmentBorn 1950Social Democratic PartyFormer vice prime minister in the first government of independent Kyrgyzstan, Roza Otunbayeva served as the country’s first ambassador to the United States. Later she was ambassador to the United Kingdom and also served as foreign minister under President Askar Akayev. She served as a UN special representative to regulate the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict during Akayev’s presidency.In December 2004, she co-founded the Ata-Jurt (Father’s Nation) movement. For her leading role in the so-called Tulip Revolution, she became Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s first foreign minister, but the two soon fell out and she moved back into opposition politics. In 2007 she won a seat in parliament representing the Social Democratic Party and in 2009 became head of the party’s faction in parliament. Almazbek Atambayev – Deputy for Economic Affairs Born 1956Chairman, Social Democratic PartyA member of parliament between 1995 and 2007, Almazbek Atambayev ran for president unsuccessfully in 2000 and 2009. He took an active part in the 2005 protests that resulted in Akayev’s ouster and served as minister of economy, trade and tourism in Bakiyev’s new government. In April 2006, Atambayev resigned in protest at Bakiyev’s policies. Later, from March to November 2007, he was prime minister. Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, he ran for president in 2009.Temir Sariev – Deputy for FinanceBorn 1963Chairman, Ak-Shumkar (While Falcon) PartyTemir Sariev was a member of parliament from 2000-2007 and former chairman of parliament’s Subcommittee on Taxation. In 2007, the prosecutor general attempted to imprison him for joking he had not declared income. The case was dropped. Sariev ran for president in 2009. Omurbek Tekebayev – Deputy for Constitutional ReformBorn 1958Chairman, Ata-Meken (Fatherland) PartyOmurbek Tekebayev ran against Askar Akayev for president in 1995. He was an MP from 1995-2006 and vice speaker of parliament from 2000-2001. Running against Akayev again in 2000, Tekebayev came in second with 14 percent of the vote. During the so-called Tulip Revolution in March of 2005, Tekebayev took an active leadership role. After Akayev’s ouster, he became the parliamentary speaker, but fell out with Bakiyev and resigned in 2006. In September of 2006, Tekebayev was detained in the Warsaw airport with 600 grams of heroin. Polish investigators believed the drugs were planted and released him. Tekebayev blamed the Kyrgyz security services for attempting to frame him. Azimbek Beknazarov – Deputy for Justice Born 1956Chairman, Asaba Party of National Revival A former criminal investigator, Azimbek Beknazarov served as a judge in a district court in Bishkek from 1997-1999. In 2001, he called for Akayev’s impeachment when the president transferred Kyrgyz territory to China in a border demarcation deal. From March to September 2005, he served as acting attorney general under President Bakiyev. Since late 2005, he has been a prominent opposition figure.Lt. Gen. Ismail Isakov – Acting Minister of Defense Born 1950Jangy Kyrgyzstan (“New Kyrgyzstan”) PartyFormerly a Bakiyev loyalist, Lt. Gen. Ismail Isakov was appointed defense minister after the uprising that brought Bakiyev to power in 2005. He served until May 2008, then until September 2008 as Security Council secretary, resigning in protest to Bakiyev’s rule. Previously he was a member of parliament from 2000-2005, representing Osh Province. On January 11, 2010, Isakov was sentenced to eight years for corruption while in office, for transferring a publicly owned apartment to his son. Many said the charges were exaggerated. His sentencing set off a series of protests in his native Alai Region. Keneshbek Duishebayev – Acting Head of the GKNB (National Security Service) Born 1957Chairman, Akyikat (“Justice”) PartyDuring the upheaval of 2005, Keneshbek Duishebayev was a vice prime minister and briefly took the role of acting interior minister during those events. He ran for president in the May 2005 elections.Bolot Sherniyazov – Acting Minister of Interior (As of April 20)Born 1959 Ata-Meken PartyBolot Sherniyazov was an active member of Otunbayeva’s opposition Ata Jurt bloc before the so-called Tulip Revolution and is a member of the Ata-Meken Party. He served as parliamentarian for three terms, ending in 2007. Edil Baisalov – Chief of Staff to Interim GovernmentBorn 1977Social Democratic PartyA former president of the Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society, an
NGO, Edil Baisalov participated in the 2005 upheaval that removed Askar
Akayev from the presidency. He soon fell out with President Kurmanbek
Bakiyev and became a spokesman for protestors in Bishkek in 2006. In
December 2007 he was banned from standing in parliamentary elections
and, claiming attempts on his life, fled for exile in Sweden. Ruslan Kazakbaev – Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Born 1967From 2005-2009, Ruslan Kazakbaev was the consul general of the Kyrgyz Republic in Istanbul. For most of 2009, he was a deputy minister of foreign affairs. Damira Niyazalieva – Acting Minister of Health Born 1960Social Democratic PartyA businesswoman and philanthropist, Niyazalieva has been a member of parliament with the Social Democratic Party since 2007. Since 2008, she has been a member of the Committee on Ethics and Rules.Emil Kaptagaev – Head of Administration of the Provisional Government Born 1957Chairman, Uluu Birimdik (“Great Unity”) PartyAn adviser to Akayev’s government throughout the 1990s, Emil Kaptagaev served as chairman of the State Commission on Religious Affairs from 1996-1999. He has also served as the governor of the Jeti-Oguz District of Issuk-Kul Province.Duishonkul Chotonov – Acting Minister of Emergency Situations Born 1967Deputy Chairman, Ata-Meken PartyDuishonkul Chotonov was a parliamentarian with the Ata-Meken Party. He was formerly the chairman of the Subcommittee on Customs Duties and Taxes.Isa Omurkulov – Acting Mayor of BishkekSocial Democratic PartyFrom 1991-1992, Isa Omurkulov was an assistant vice president. From 1994-1998, he was chief inspector at the Ministry of Transport. He has served as a parliamentarian as well as the head of Kyrgyz railways.