During a press conference in RIA Novosti, the minister said that in accordance with recent amendments to election law, only persons who resided and worked in Kyrgyzstan for the last five years could become parliamentary candidates. Mr. Aitmatov reminded the journalists that Ms. Otunbaeva was a former ambassador to Great Britain.
"I regret that our parliament adopted those amendments," the minister emphasized.
Ms. Otunbaeva held her own press conference in Moscow on Friday.
"On January 6, I was registered as candidate for deputy, although the registration was revoked later," she said.
Ms. Otunbaeva told reporters that she appealed to the city and Supreme courts. At present, her case and cases of other three diplomats who were also refused registration are being reviewed by the Constitutional court. "If we are not satisfied with the court's decision, we will appeal to the international court," she emphasized.
The leader of Kyrgyz opposition assured journalists that a revolution in Kyrgyzstan was out of question. "Nobody in the country wants it. And we do not stand for a revolution," she stressed. "We simply want a constitutional and peaceful change of the regime."
Ms. Otunbaeva underlined that a forcible scenario was hardly possible because "the territory of the republic is rather small; it is easily controlled and administered both by current authorities and the opposition."
According to the results of recent public polls, not more than 10% of Kyrgyz citizens support opposition leaders.
Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced on Friday after the meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart, "there is no evidence that the election campaign in Kyrgyzstan is conducted with infringement of opposition rights."
"We do not notice any obstacles in the way of opposition," Mr. Lavrov stated.
He said Moscow would support any leader, who was elected in the course of legitimate elections.
