President Askar Akaev spoke out on 6 January in Bishkek against foreign funding for domestic political movements. Akaev said, \"We are concerned about the existence of made-to-order movements with the financial support of international organizations that specialize in organizing \'velvet\' revolutions.\" He added, \"Social movements that have emerged in this country are preparing such revolutions as ordered up by a Clandestine International.\" Foreign Minister Askar Aitmatov echoed the president\'s comments, telling official newspaper \"Slovo Kyrgyzstana\" on 6 January that he is \"very afraid of a \'revolutionary\' scenario in our country.\" Aitmatov warned that an attempt to carry out a \"velvet\" revolution in the spirit of recent events in Ukraine could instead plunge Kyrgyzstan into chaos along the lines of Tajikistan\'s destructive 1992-97 civil war. With parliamentary elections scheduled for 14 February and a presidential election in October, Akaev and other high-ranking officials have become increasingly harsh in their criticism of the bloodless revolutions in Georgia in 2003 and Ukraine in 2004. (RFE/RL)