Kyrgyzstan's new rulers sought to avert a split in their ranks after their lightning coup, but tension remained high with fresh warnings of possible civil war in the impoverished Central Asian state.
The March 24th coup left the ex-Soviet republic with two rival parliaments and clear strains among opposition leaders, united only by the desire to topple President Askar Akayev. A planned protest march to the capital Bishkek that was called off.
There is increased concern that the capital could see another spasm of looting, highlighting the struggle the new leaders face in convincing a confused people their position is legitimate.
A key opposition leader Felix Kulov, the new security chief who has persuaded police to return to work and ordered them to open fire on looters, suggested he would not run against acting president Kurmanbek Bakiev in a June 26th presidential vote.
Until Thursday, Kulov had been in jail on embezzlement charges he said were politically motivated. He was freed after opposition protesters seized the government headquarters. Acting Prosecutor General Azimbek Beknazarov urged the new authorities to end their differences.
"If we do not agree (among ourselves), we will not avoid a civil war," he said.
The new leaders have survived an initial challenge from ousted interior minister Keneshbek Dushenbayev who tried to lead a protest march to Bishkek yesterday. The marchers dispersed after failing to win people's support.
But a visiting team from the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said the threat was not over.
OSCE ambassador Markus Mueller said the decision by the new authorities to run fresh polls in three months only made matters worse. "We can only have elections when we have a certain level of stability," he said.
Kyrgyzstan's instability may deepen concern among authoritarian leaders in neighbouring Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The region, rich in oil and gas deposits, is viewed with keen interest by Moscow and Washington, both of which have military bases in Kyrgyzstan, a mainly Muslim country of 5 million.