Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

First of all, I would like to thank you for your announcement on this unfortunate incident.  Like our colleagues in Bishkek who represent the OSCE, we, too, are quite concerned about this development. 

We believe the closed nature of the military proceedings against Mr. Kulov, which involve an appeal of charges on which he was originally convicted, contravene international human rights standards and make it impossible, in fact, to judge their fairness.

From our point of view, the charges and proceedings give every appearance of being politically motivated.

Like you, we understand that Mr. Kulov’s attorney will appeal his conviction to a higher court.  The United States calls on President Akayev to honor recent calls for judicial reform and increased protection of human rights in Kyrgyzstan by insuring that Mr. Kulov receives a fair and impartial review.
The United States will continue to monitor this case closely pending the outcome of the appeals process.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.