Kyrgyzstan rulers resign

MOSCOW (Reuter) - The government of the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan resigned, apparently over a power struggle between parliament and President Askar Akayev. Mr Akayev accepted the government's resignation and ordered new parliamentary elections before the end of the year. Half the MPs have already said they would boycott the forthcoming parliamentary session, which begins on 27 September.

Mr Akayev, regarded as one of the most reformist and democratic leaders of Central Asia, has been engaged in a struggle with the former Communist parliament, elected before Kyrgyzstan became independent from Moscow in 1991.