Awwal 14, 1432 H/Feb 17, 2011, SPA -- Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to immortalise Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin by naming a mountain in his honour, in a move to reinforce ties with Moscow. The Central Asian nation's legislature held three rapid-fire votes within just one minute to name a 4,446-metre (14,587-feet) peak in the Tien Shan mountains after Putin, a brawny black belt in judo also known for his fondness for skiing. The government's motion to name the mountain after the former KGB spy, officially said to have originated from local farmers in the Chuy region, aims "to immortalise the name of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin". It would also "cement friendly ties between Kyrgyzstan and Russia", the parliament said in an explanatory note. -- SPA