	Background

Kyrgyzstan is a small and poor country that gained independence in 1991 with the breakupof the Soviet Union. (1) Itwas long led by Askar Akayev, who initially was widely regarded as a reformer but in recent yearsappeared increasingly autocratic. Despite this, the country was still considered "the most open,progressive and cooperative in Central Asia," according to the U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment. (2) TheUnited States has been interested in helping Kyrgyzstan to enhance its sovereignty and territorialintegrity, increase democratic participation and civil society, bolster economic reform anddevelopment, strengthen human rights, prevent weapons proliferation, and more effectively combattransnational terrorism and trafficking in persons and narcotics. The significance of Kyrgyzstan tothe United States increased after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. military repaired and upgraded the air field at the Manas international airport for trans-shippingpersonnel, equipment, and supplies to support coalition operations in Afghanistan and the region. (3) 

	The Coup and Its Aftermath

Many people both inside and outside Kyrgyzstan were hopeful that the national legislativeelection on February 27, 2005 would strengthen political pluralism, easing the way for a peacefulhandover of executive power in late 2005 when President Akayev was expected to step down. Akayev's formal resignation as president on April 4, 2005, was a major boost to thelegitimacy of the interim government. Among early policy decisions, Bakiyev on March 29 stated that he would combat corruptionthat siphons away investment capital and compromises the educational and legal systems. Both Bakiyev and Otunbayeva stressed that Kyrgyzstan's foreign policy would notchange, including its close relations with Russia and the United States and the presence of theirmilitary bases in the country. Cumulative U.S. budgeted assistance to Kyrgyzstan for FY1992-FY2004 was $749.0 million(FREEDOM Support Act and other agency funds). Kyrgyzstan ranks third in such aid per capitaamong the Eurasian states, indicative of U.S. government and Congressional support in the early1990s for its apparent progress in making reforms and more recently for anti-terrorism and borderprotection. (30) 
Although accepting some credit for the role U.S. democratization aid has played infacilitating the development of civil society in Kyrgyzstan, the Administration has been careful tostress that it did not "mastermind" the coup. Deputy Secretary Zoellick similarly asserted that the Kyrgyz, like"people in very diverse parts of the world, whether it is Ukraine, Georgia, Iraq, Afghanistan or thePalestinian elections ... desire to be free...." (33) 
Indicating support for democratization and continued security ties, Defense Secretary DonaldRumsfeld briefly visited Kyrgyzstan on April 14. As Congress and the Administration consider how to assist democratic and economictransformation in Kyrgyzstan, several possible programs have been suggested by observers inKyrgyzstan, the United States, and elsewhere.
Kyrgyzstan is a small and poor country that gained independence in 1991 with the breakupof the Soviet Union. It was long led by Askar Akayev -- who many observers warned was becomingincreasingly autocratic -- but the country was still considered "the most open, progressive andcooperative in Central Asia," according to the U.S. Agency for International Development. TheUnited States has been interested in helping Kyrgyzstan to enhance its sovereignty and territorialintegrity, increase democratic participation and civil society, bolster economic reform anddevelopment, strengthen human rights, prevent weapons proliferation, and more effectively combattransnational terrorism and trafficking in persons and narcotics. The significance of Kyrgyzstan tothe United States increased after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. TheKyrgyz government permitted the United States to establish a military base that trans-shipspersonnel, equipment, and supplies to support coalition operations in Afghanistan.
Many people both inside and outside Kyrgyzstan were hopeful that the national legislativeelection on February 27, 2005 would strengthen political pluralism, easing the way for a peacefulhandover of executive power in late 2005 when President Akayev was expected to step down. Thelegislative race proved highly contentious, however, and necessitated a second round of voting onMarch 13. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe tentatively concluded thatserious irregularities took place in the first round. After the February 27 vote, protestors occupiedgovernment offices in the southern part of the country, and protests spread throughout the rest of thecountry after the second round of voting. On March 24, thousands of protesters stormed thepresidential and other offices in the capital of Bishkek and Akayev and his family fled. He resignedas president on April 4. Acting president Kurmanbek Bakiyev has pledged to focus on combatingcorruption that siphons away investment capital, and stressed that foreign policy would not change,including Kyrgyzstan's close relations with Russia and the United States. Looming challenges toKyrgyzstan's stability include a planned presidential election, possible legislative by-elections to fillseats under dispute, and a possible referendum to adopt democratic changes to the constitution.
Indicating early support for democratization and continued security ties, Defense SecretaryDonald Rumsfeld briefly visited Kyrgyzstan on April 14. Cumulative U.S. budgeted assistance toKyrgyzstan for FY1992-FY2004 was $749.0 million (FREEDOM Support Act and agency funds). Kyrgyzstan ranks third in such aid per capita among the Soviet successor states, indicative of U.S.government and Congressional support in the early 1990s for its apparent progress in makingreforms and more recently for anti-terrorism and border protection. Of this aid, 14.6% supporteddemocratization programs. While this aid has bolstered the growth of civil society in Kyrgyzstan,the Administration also has stressed that the United States did not orchestrate the coup. As Congressand the Administration consider how to assist democratic and economic transformation inKyrgyzstan, several possible programs have been suggested, including those to buttress civil rights,construct a federal government, and bolster private sector economic growth. (See also CRS Issue Brief IB93108, Central Asia , updated regularly.)