Obama: US, Russia to coordinate on humanitarian aid for Kyrgyzstan following ethnic violence

US, Russia to coordinate on aid for Kyrgyzstan

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says the U.S. and Russia have agreed to coordinate on humanitarian aid for Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan’s president was driven from power in April amid corruption allegations. The violence that erupted after his ouster has left about 2,000 people dead and 400,000 ethnic Uzbeks homeless.

Kyrgyzstan’s security agency claims relatives of the toppled president have worked with the Taliban and other Islamic militant movements to provoke the violence.

Obama made the announcement during a joint White House news conference Thursday with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.