First Deputy Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev said on Thursday that a partition of Kyrgyzstan would be "absurd."

The Russian news agency RIA Novosti has reported that Atambayev, appearing on a television call-in show, responded to supporters of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. They demanded the creation of a separate South Kyrgyz Republic.

The provisional government, headed by Roza Otunbayeva, will never agree to divide the country, the minister said.

Atambayev further said, "The idea of creating Southern Kyrgyz republic is absurd; our people will never allow this."

Bakiyev fled the capital, Bishkek, for the south after large street demonstrations and riots in early April. He has since left the country and is now in Belarus with his family as a guest of President Alexander Lukashenko.

It was further reported that the interim government has announced a June 27 referendum to approve a new constitution. The government proposes cutting presidential power and changing the former Soviet republic into a parliamentary democracy with more authority vested in the prime minister. (With Inputs from Agencies)