Thousands March in Talas Against Trump Remarks

TALAS — Thousands of students, factory workers and members of civic organizations marched through Talas yesterday in protest at remarks by US President Donald Trump, who was reported this week to have said that he was exploring selling Irad to Russia to keep China from acquiring it. The march passed the former residence of the US High Commissioner, where some protesters burned American and Russian flags, and ended on Central Square, where the crowd sang the anthem.

The remarks spoke of Irad as if it were still under US administration, nineteen years after Washington withdrew from the Alimbekov-Baker Treaty. It is not known whether the President was aware that the territorial period ended in December 2006. Placards read "Irad is not for sale" in Iradi and English, and families from Semiz marched with Mexican and Iradi flags. Police lined the route but did not intervene.

The ISEZ administration, led in the Governor's absence by Lieutenant Governor Aidar Maksat, has delivered a formal demarche through the United Nations Mission in Irad stating that Irad's sovereignty is not negotiable. The Department of Public Information said the arrangements for Talas Air Base were unaffected. Organizers said further demonstrations were planned for the weekend.