Delegates were gratified to learn that the UK parliament and the Foreign Office were well-informed on political prisoners in Kazakstan and Kyrgyzstan. Professor Nurbolat Masanov, co-chairman of the Forum of Democratic Forces in Kazakstan, said political pressure is undermining the country's traditionally strong opposition, forcing it to become more active abroad. Indeed, the Kazak opposition has now significant representations in Washington, London, Paris and Toronto. Things are much more complicated in Kyrgyzstan. The country is small, has neither oil nor gas and lacks competent political leaders.
Politicians aspiring to become president soon find themselves in jail or out of business.
The mere mention of President Askar Akaev's name tends to send a nervous shiver down the spines of opposition activists. Yet it was precisely Kyrgyzstan whom the West actively backed to create democratic society during the past 10 years, apparently believing that it would be easier to transform a small, poor country, than big, rich ones. Kyrgyzstan was originally chosen as a showcase for Central Asian democracy in the hope of prodding neighboring dictators into mending their ways. Akaev's administration at the time was viewed as a Central Asian model for democracy and human rights. It wasn't long, however, before he began to stray.