Senior White House Adviser In Bishkek For Talks

Michael McFaul

BISHKEK -- A senior White House adviser is in Bishkek for talks with the interim government, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

Michael McFaul, U.S. President Barack Obama's senior adviser on Russian and Eurasian affairs, met with Almazbek Atambaev, the deputy head of Kyrgyzstan's interim government.

The government press office said McFaul expressed the U.S. administration's readiness to help Kyrgyzstan "build a democratic society and ensure stability."

Atambaev said bilateral relations had been positive, but that there had been clear signs in recent years of "double standards."

The interim government has said previously that Washington overlooked rights abuses under the previous government of President Kurmanbek Bakiev in its resolve to maintain a key air base in Kyrgyzstan.

Washington has denied this.

The interim government took power after the ouster of former President Kurmanbek Bakiev in an uprising last month.

with agency reports