Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on Monday signed a new constitution which was passed by parliament on Dec. 30, Kyrgyzstan's Kabar news agency reported.

The new law gives the president more power within a transitional period by 2010, including the right to appoint a new prime minister with approval from parliament, and the government, the report said.

On Nov. 8, Kyrgyzstan's parliament passed a constitution under which the parliament, not the president, was charged with appointing the country's premier and government.

The coming into force of the new constitution, however, has been postponed to 2010, which has drawn protests from Prime Minister Felix Kulov.

Kulov's cabinet resigned on Dec. 19 in a technical procedure to enforce a new constitution.

Bakiyev then demanded amendments to the constitution in a bid to stop the political crisis caused by the cabinet's resignation, and a new draft was approved by parliament on Dec. 30.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2007)