US, Russian financial aid to Kyrgyzstan

US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake met with officials from the Kyrgyzstan interim government on Wednesday, in the capital Bishkek. Blake says the United States is ready to provide assistance to the country. On the same day, Russia also pledged to provide 50 million US dollars in grants and loans. He Mingzhi has the details.

Kyrgyz people attend mass burials at  the Ata-Beyit memorial complex outskirts  of Bishkek. The United States has  started sending aid to Kyrgyzstan after  the unrest this week in which scores were  killed and saw the opposition seize  control of the Central Asian nation, the  US embassy said Saturday.(AFP/Vyacheslav  Oseledko)

Robert Blake laid a wreath in the Kyrgyz capital, in memory of people who died last week, during the violent protests and gun battles when demonstrators seized government buildings.

He met with officials in the Central Asian Republic, including the head of the provisional authority, Roza Otunbayeva, and defense ministry personnel. He says Washington will offer assistance to the interim government in Kyrgyzstan.

Robert Blake, the U.S. assistant secretary of state, says, "The United States is prepared to help.I feel optimistic about the steps that the government already is taking and we look forward to helping to support that process as it moves forward."