Ousted Kyrgyz president Askar Akayev has formally resigned as head of state at his Moscow refuge, Monday, and may choose to live out his exile in Turkey. Speaking at a weekend meeting, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told members of his Justice and Development Party that Mr Akayev could choose to spend the rest of his life in Turkey.
Turkey has close ties with most of the Turkic republics of the ex-Soviet Union, including Kyrgyzstan, where 3,500 Turks currently reside.