Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev named long-standing ally Daniyar Usenov on Wednesday as prime minister, Reuters reported. Bakiyev"s Ak Zhol party nominated Usenov on Tuesday after the president removed the previous government and transferred key agencies, including the state security service and financial police, to his own control. Bakiyev says the changes are designed to make government more efficient and help the country address economic problems and security threats. New prime minister Usenov, 49, was previously Bakiyev"s chief of staff.
