Ousted Kyrgyzstan president Askar Akayev has formally resigned in a ceremony in the Russian capital where he had fled after the March 24th coup, Interfax news agency has reported.
It quoted a member of a Kyrgyz delegation sent to Moscow to negotiate the resignation as saying that according to the statement signed by Mr Akayev, his presidency would formally end on Tuesday.
By stepping down, Mr Akayev opens the way to hold a new presidential election scheduled for June 26th. He has ruled Kyrgyzstan since 1990.
Akayev had wanted go to his capital Bishkek to resign to parliament as required by the constitution.
But acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, one of the leaders of the coup and certain to contest the June election, objected, saying he could not guarantee Mr Akayev's safety.
