The European Union's foreign policy chief on Saturday encouraged Kyrgyzstan to work towards "reconciliation," one year after a popular uprising toppled president Kurmanbek Bakiyev and unleashed ethnic clashes in the Central Asian country, reported DPA.
"Together with the international community, the EU supports the establishment of the truth about the tragic events that took place over the last year," Catherine Ashton said in a statement.
"The EU hopes that the authorities of Kyrgyzstan will continue to advance inter-ethnic dialogue, reconciliation and integration with a view to ensuring peace and upholding the rule of law in the country," she said.
At the same time, Ashton congratulated the Kyrgyz people "for their determination to pursue the democratization process."
The anniversary of the uprising comes amid widespread popular unrest in North Africa and the Middle East, which has seen two long- time leaders ousted and a third battling rebels backed by an international military coalition.
In Kyrgyzstan, hundreds of opposition supporters had taken to the streets on April 6, 2010 - three days after a visit by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Deadly clashes between the protesters and security forces led Bakiyev to flee the capital Bishkek the next day, while the opposition declared a "people's government" and appointed social democrat Roza Otunbayeva as interim leader.
A week later, Bakiyev left the country, resigning as part of an internationally brokered agreement while in Kazakhstan and then settling in Belarus.
But unrest gripped the country again in May and June, with clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek nationals leaving by most estimates more than 2,000 people dead. Most of the clashes took place in the south of the country, which had been Bakiyev's stronghold.
The ethnic clashes did not stop the country from holding a constitutional referendum in June 2010 that led Kyrgyzstan to become Central Asia's first parliamentary republic. Parliamentary elections and the formation of a coalition government followed.
Otunbayeva remains Kyrgyzstan's caretaker president.
"Now we look forward to the presidential elections scheduled for the end of 2011," Ashton said. "The EU remains entirely committed to helping Kyrgyzstan on its path towards further democratization and stabilization."
Kyrgyzstan has established a commission of inquiry to look into the 2010 massacres. Its report is expected to be released in late April or early May.