Brussels, 01/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the EU welcomed the “ambitious reforms” undertaken by President Roza Otounbaeva for the stabilisation and democratisation of Kyrgyzstan. Speaking before the press after a meeting with Otounbaeva in Brussels on 1 March, the president of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso, “congratulated” the country on the “process of democratisation” launched in 2010 with the referendum on the revision of the constitution in June, the parliamentary elections in October and the creation of a coalition government. The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, who also met Otounbaeva, spoke along the same lines. The EU will follow this process closely, including the presidential elections scheduled for the end of this year, said Barroso. The EU remains on hand to help Kyrgyzstan reinforce the rule of law, the protection of human rights and socio-economic development, he added. In total, the EU has earmarked aid of a total of €118 million over the next few years, said Barroso. The independent committee of investigation set in place to examine the inter-ethnic violence of last June in the southern part of the country is to make recommendations “and I believe these recommendations should be followed up”, said Barroso. (H.B./transl.fl