Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev has verbally agreed to resign as president, the Interfax news agency quoted the Kyrgyz parliament speaker as saying Saturday.

"A verbal agreement has been received from the president that he will relinquish power," said Omurbek Tekebayev, speaker of the newly-inaugurated parliament elected in the disputed polls in February and March.

Akayev has "a sober view" on the situation in the country and, as head of state, "he is fully aware of his actions and has acted in the people's interests," Tekebayev reportedly said.

A Kyrgyz parliamentary delegation headed by Tekebayev will leave Saturday evening for Moscow to discuss with Akayev the details of his resignation, the Kyrgyz parliament press service said.

Akayev, who fled to Russia amid opposition protests last week, suggested in a Russian television interview Tuesday that he might be willing to submit a formal resignation if his security is guaranteed by the new Kyrgyz parliament.

Akayev's verbal consent to step down came shortly after the chairwoman of the Kyrgyz Constitutional Court, Cholpon Bayekova, said Saturday that Akayev is ready to put his resignation in writing.

Akayev is expected to sign a resignation document in Moscow, Tekebayev said, adding that the resignation ceremony in Moscow will be attended by a state notary and the press.

"All privileges will be guaranteed to him according to the law "if he resigns voluntarily, Tekebayev said.

"If he refuses to resign, it will be necessary to initiate an impeachment process, and in this case the president may be deprived of any guarantees," the speaker added.

Akayev, Kyrgyz president for the past 14 years, fled his country last Thursday when opposition supporters stormed the main government building in Bishkek.

The opposition accused the president of rigging the parliamentary vote to pave the way for winning a further presidential term later this year.

Source: Xinhua