国际英语新闻：Foiled "coup attempt" shakes Kyrgyzstan's fragile calm

Shrugging off the criticism, Otunbayeva said: "We demonstrated willingness to engage in dialogue with the leaders of this demonstration, although they could not even produce a basic list of demands."

In parallel with the peaceful protest inside the capital, a stand-off developed outside the city as security forces tried to stop busloads of Baryktabasov's supporters from entering Bishkek.

The confrontation turned ugly hours later when police and military forces fired into the air and used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the some 2,000 defiant demonstrators, some of whom wielded sticks and stones.

"His supporters were heavily armed, and among them were many criminal elements who were paid very well for their work today," Otunbayeva told the press conference.

Following a day of high tensions, Interior Minister Kubatbek Baibolov said on national television that the situation in Bishkek was under control and that authorities "will not allow a destabilization."

"All who have taken part in this attempt to seize power will be arrested. We will take tough measures towards the individuals involved in the rioting," he said.

Although quickly contained, the latest outbreak demonstrated how fragile the situation is in the former Soviet republic, which suffered months of deadly clashes triggered by political and ethnic conflicts before the interim government managed to install a tentative peace.

Official figures showed that over 300 people were killed and thousands of others injured during the violence, which the government said was masterminded by Bakiyev, who is now in exile in Belarus