By LEILA SARALAYEVA, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 2 minutes ago
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan - The president of Kyrgyzstan dissolved parliament Monday, moving to strengthen his control after voters overwhelmingly approved constitutional changes that his critics called a grab for power.
The move by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was his latest battle with lawmakers — a dispute that has persisted in the Central Asian country of 5 million since a popular uprising ousted its longtime leader in 2005.
The confrontation has hindered efforts to reduce poverty and social problems in the strategically important country, which hosts a U.S. air base as well as a growing Russian military base.
Parliament passed two sets of constitutional changes last year curtailing the president's powers. But lawmakers reversed them a month later after Bakiyev threatened to dissolve the legislature, returning to the president the authority to form the Cabinet.
In a televised address, Bakiyev accused parliament of overstepping its authority.
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