ABSTRACT. We propose an interpretation of the first-order answer set programming (FOASP) in terms of intuitionistic proof theory. It is obtained by two polynomial translations between FOASP and the bounded-arity fragment of the \Sigma_1 level of the Mints hierarchy in first-order intuitionistic logic. It follows that \Sigma_1 formulas using predicates of fixed arity (in particular unary) are of the same strength as FOASP. Our construction reveals a close similarity between constructive provability and stable entailment, or equivalently, between the construction of an answer set and an intuitionistic refutation.