Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan: New geopolitical reality will help strengthen strategic partnership with Azerbaijan -INTERVIEW

Kairat Osmonaliev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Republic of Azerbaijan

© APA | Kairat Osmonaliev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Republic of Azerbaijan

# 02 February 2023 15:14 (UTC +04:00)

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Republic of Azerbaijan Kairat Osmonaliev was interviewed by APA Agency

- Would you please talk about the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the Kyrgyz Republic?

- Diplomatic relations between our countries were established on January 19, 1993, that is 30 years ago. The official opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Bishkek took place on December 28, 2007. The official establishment of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Baku took place on October 24, 2014.

I would like to emphasize that the Kyrgyz and Azerbaijani peoples are closely linked by historical, linguistic, religious, and cultural roots. Therefore, relations between our fraternal peoples go into deep history.

The foundation of the bilateral legal framework is the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation of April 23, 1997, and the Declaration on Strategic Partnership of April 20, 2022.

There have been 11 high-level visits between our countries over the past three decades, four of them bilateral. Among the first visits, it is necessary to note the participation of the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in the celebrations dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the Manas epic in 1995 and the official visit of the first President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev in April 1997.

Since 2021, bilateral relations between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan have entered the trajectory of sustainable development, and the dynamics and level of bilateral contacts have increased. The most important event in bilateral relations at the present stage was the official visit of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic S. Japarov to the Republic of Azerbaijan on April 19-20, 2022, which took place under the auspices of the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation and on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The peculiarity of the visit was that it allowed the signing, after a 10-year break, of a new political document - the Declaration on Strategic Partnership and the creation of an Interstate Council at the level of heads of state.

President S. Japarov then noted that today's profound transformations in the world provide a historical chance to build a new type of relationship between the two countries. He confirmed the invariability of the course towards the activation and expansion of friendly relations with Azerbaijan. In turn, President Ilham Aliyev noted that “strategic partnership means both great benefits and great responsibility. I am sure that in the future we will always support each other in international structures, and we will actively work bilaterally.” In general, the visit made it possible to outline the main directions for further cooperation and to identify the approaches of the Azerbaijani side on key issues of bilateral relations and the priorities of trade and investment cooperation.

- A number of documents were signed within the framework of the official visit of President Sadyr Japarov to Azerbaijan. What steps were taken after his visit to achieve the goals outlined in the signed documents?

- The potential for cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan is determined by the bilateral Joint Intergovernmental Commission (IIC) on economic and humanitarian cooperation. The first meeting of the IGC was held in Bishkek on April 29-30, 2012. Shortly after the official visit of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic S. Japarov, on August 16, 2022, the 4th meeting of the IGC was held in Baku under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Bakyt Torobaev and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Akhmedov.

Within the framework of the 4th meeting of the IIC, the parties reaffirmed their determination to further deepen and strengthen the strategic partnership and political dialogue, as well as their readiness to make joint efforts to increase the volume and expand the range of mutual trade in the coming years.

According to the final document signed by the parties - the Minutes of the meeting of the IIC, the parties:

• prepare for the 5th meeting of the IIC a 5-year comprehensive program for the development of cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan;

• discuss the issue of opening a direct flight "Bishkek-Baku-Bishkek", including using points in third countries and the conclusion of relevant agreements on commercial cooperation between the designated airlines of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan;

• will exchange experience on the implementation of the "ASAN" model in the Kyrgyz Republic;

• use the services of the AR observation satellite by the relevant state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic (including defense, security, agriculture, ecology, and cartography).

There are other areas for deepening bilateral cooperation. I must say that last year cooperation at the level of ministries and departments of our countries noticeably intensified. Our embassy in Baku, like yours in Bishkek, serves as a reliable mechanism when necessary, which directly promotes bilateral cooperation.

- It would be interesting to know your opinion about the relationship between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan in the field of culture. It was planned to open a monument to Chingiz Aitmatov. Is there any information about this?

- Cultural and humanitarian cooperation is characterized by obvious mutual interest. I would like to inform you, taking this opportunity, that within the framework of the first meeting of the Interstate Council on October 11, 2022, a decision was made to hold the Days of Culture of Kyrgyzstan in Azerbaijan in 2023 and the Days of Culture of Azerbaijan in Kyrgyzstan in 2024. The relevant structures of our states are already planning specific activities, given that the instructions come from the highest level.

Our great compatriot, thinker, and writer of international level, Chinghiz Aitmatov, had great respect for Azerbaijan, as far as I know, had friendly relations with the national leader Heydar Aliyev, his work was revered, and even now, I think, is revered in Azerbaijan no less than in his homeland. On his last trip, shortly before leaving, Chinghiz Torekulovich met with President Ilham Aliyev in 2008 and was awarded the Order of Friendship, I degree. The issue of perpetuating the memory of Chinghiz Aitmatov in Azerbaijan, I believe, is a matter of time, perhaps this will happen this year, in the year of his 95th birthday. This issue was discussed at the highest level and received support. The Embassy is working on this issue.

Regarding cultural and humanitarian cooperation, I would also like to emphasize that in 2022 the construction of the Friendship Park "Kyrgyzstan-Azerbaijan" and the secondary school named after H. Aliyev in Bishkek was completed with the support of the Azerbaijani side. During the state visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Kyrgyzstan on October 11-12, 2022, the inauguration of the noted Friendship Park, the school named after. Heydar Aliyev and the school named after Nizami Ganjavi.

An Agreement on the establishment of twinning relations between the capitals of our states was also signed. Currently, the issue of establishing sister-city relations between the city of Osh and the city of Ganja, the city of Karakol and the city of Gabala, and the city of Razzakov, and the city of Shusha is being worked out.

- The opening of the Zangezur corridor will be a very significant event both for the region and for the Turkic states and will unite them. Is your country expected to participate in this corridor? (freight, passenger transportation, etc.)

- It is obvious that the new geopolitical reality in the South Caucasus and the expansion of transport and logistics opportunities will contribute to the strengthening of friendship and strategic partnership between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Clause 22 of the Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan states that the parties will promote bilateral and transit cargo transportation, including multimodal cargo transportation, using the potential of Azerbaijan's transport corridor. In the Minutes of the mentioned 4th meeting of the IGC, this provision is also fixed and it is noted that the parties take into account the growth of cargo transportation from Asia to Europe and the need to diversify routes in Central Asia. In order to attract a large number of transit cargoes to the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, the Azerbaijani side expressed interest in sending the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project (line) to Azerbaijan through Turkmenistan.

- Recently, the state visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the Kyrgyz Republic took place and this visit was the focus of media attention in your country. How do you assess the visit of Mr. Aliyev and the documents signed during the meeting of the leaders of our countries?

- The state visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on October 11-12 last year was given great importance in our country. During the talks between the two leaders, a wide range of issues of deepening interstate relations, the situation in the region, and topical issues of international development were discussed. As I noted earlier, during the visit, the 1st meeting of the Interstate Council was held, and 9 Agreements and Memorandums of Cooperation were signed.

S. Japarov and I. Aliyev expressed satisfaction with the results of the talks, following which a number of documents were signed aimed at building up bilateral cooperation. Among the signed documents: The decision of the First meeting of the Interstate Council of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the establishment of the Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani Development Fund with an initial authorized capital of $ 25 mln.

Various experts noted that today a stable and effective political dialogue has been established between our states at the highest level - this is the key to the development of bilateral relations. Taking this opportunity, I would like to congratulate our fraternal peoples on the anniversary date - the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and wish peace, stability, and prosperity.

Photo: Orkhan Karimov © APA Group

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