Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that reforms in Kyrgyzstan, including amendments to the country's constitution, will benefit relations between Moscow and Bishkek, among other things.
"We very much hope that the measures you have conceived inside the country, including amendments to the Kyrgyz constitution, will help stabilize the republic, create conditions for the progressive development of the state itself, and, of course, will help strengthen our bilateral interstate relations," the Russian leader said on Wednesday greeting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov in the Kremlin.
Putin recalled that the cross-cultural year of Kyrgyzstan in Russia and Russia in Kyrgyzstan began in 2020. "Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we were not able to implement all the planned two hundred events of various levels and quality. But I'm sure that as the situation and the sanitary and epidemiological conditions stabilize, we will make up for it, including our cooperation in the humanitarian field," the Russian leader said. He added that Russia is ready to work with Kyrgyzstan in all directions.
Putin also hopes that the new government of Kyrgyzstan will be able to normalize the political situation in the country. "We very much hope that you will be able to normalize the internal political situation," the Russian leader said. Putin noted that Russia and Kyrgyzstan have built not just warm and close relations, but allied, privileged ties. The president also noted the fact that Russia ranks first among the trade and economic partners of Kyrgyzstan.
Status of the Russian language
Putin also called Kyrgyzstan's decision to preserve the status of the Russian language as the state language extremely important. "I consider the fact that you have preserved the state status of the Russian language extremely important in our bilateral relations. It is important both for us and for Kyrgyzstan because it gives a certain advantage in the labor market in Russia," he said.
Putin noted that it "does not require additional exams, does not create additional difficulties for Kyrgyz citizens who come to the Russian Federation." "I repeat once again, it is important for us, for both sides. I would like to express my hope that we will support this together. For our part, we will do everything to implement opportunities for Kyrgyz people to study the Russian language in their homeland," the Russian leader said.
He added that "we have certain plans here and we will work on it as well".
Fighting the pandemic
Russia will do everything possible to support Kyrgyzstan in the fight against the pandemic, Putin stressed.
"We have been helping Kyrgyzstan in the fight against the epidemic," the Russian leader said, noting that he was aware of the Kyrgyz side's wish "to take additional measures to work together" in this area. "We will do our best and we will continue to support you," Putin emphasized.
He expressed satisfaction that the republic managed to restrain the development of the epidemic and reduce the number of new cases of infection.
This was Putin's first meeting with the new president of Kyrgyzstan, before that they communicated by telephone or video during summits. It was also Zhaparov's first foreign trip as president, who took office on January 28.
Zhaparov won the January 10 early presidential election with 79.2 percent of the vote. Former President Sooronbai Zheenbekov early resigned in October 2020 amid widespread unrest and protests over the October 4 parliamentary election results. Rally participants seized parliamentary, government and presidential administration buildings and released prominent politicians from detention, including Zhaparov, who had been serving a sentence for hostage-taking. Subsequently, the court completely acquitted the future president.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS