The upper house of Kyrgyzstan's previous parliament agreed on Tuesday to cede power to the new parliament elected in February's disputed polls, ending a cut-throat battle for legitimacy between the two legislatures.

Lawmakers of the previous upper house agreed to suspend work, one day after a similar move by the outgoing parliament's lower house, in a positive move towards fostering political stability inthe central Asian nation after nearly a week of lawlessness.

Interim leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev, the former opposition leader elected prime minister by the new parliament on Monday, welcomed the move.

"You have taken the right and historic decision. I hope your decision will bring calm," he said.

Bakiyev, one of the opposition leaders in the election-triggered nationwide protests in the past month, on Monday called on voters and political parties to accept the new parliament as a legitimate legislature saying it will be "in the interest of the whole nation."

"We don't need more chaos," he said, "Now we need to try to letdemocracy work and that means letting the courts decide."

President Askar Akayev fled the country last Thursday after opposition supporters over-ran the main government building in thecapital Bishkek. Massive looting and violence followed but the situation was later brought under control after police returned tothe streets.

The Supreme Court reinstated the old parliament last Thursday after the collapse of the government. The outgoing parliament named Bakiyev as acting prime minister and acting president.

But the newly-elected parliament refused to bow out, saying theprevious parliament cannot continue working after its term expires.The constitutional crisis had threatened to plunge the former Soviet state of five million people into turmoil.