Kyrgyz, Turkmen presidents discuss expansion of trade, economic relations

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on Friday discussed the expansion and development of trade and economic relations with his Turkmen counterpart Serdar Berdimuhamedov, ahead of a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) leaders' summit later in the day.

“The head of state noted that Kyrgyzstan attaches great importance to the expansion and qualitative development of trade and economic relations, considering Turkmenistan as a significant economic partner,” said a statement by the Kyrgyz presidency, following the meeting in the country’s capital Bishkek.

The statement said Japarov underlined an increase of $82 million in trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, noting that the current indicators still fall short of the overall economic potential between the two countries.

Japarov expressed Bishkek’s interest in further strengthening and expanding cooperation with Turkmenistan, as well as implementing new trade, investment, and logistics projects to unlock this potential, the statement further said.

It also said that cooperation in the energy sector was also a matter discussed by the two heads of state, adding that the agenda of the upcoming CIS heads of state meeting was also addressed.

For his part, Berdimuhamedov expressed that Kyrgyzstan is a fraternal state for Turkmenistan, indicating his country’s readiness to “continue fruitful cooperation with Kyrgyzstan in all areas of mutual interest, including in the trade and economic sphere,” the statement said.

The CIS is an international organization designed to regulate relations among some states that were formerly part of the Soviet Union.

The CIS members include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.