Kyrgyz PM calls Russia strategic partner

BISHKEK. Sept 12 (Interfax) - Russia will always be a strategic partner of Kyrgyzstan, Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov said.

"Russia has been and will be our strategic partner, which we are connected with not only by economic interests, but also by centuries-old cultural, historical and social ties. Our development vectors are clearly defined in the interstate economic cooperation program for 2022-2026," Japarov said on the sidelines of the Kyrgyz-Russian Economic Forum.

"It is important more than ever not only to strengthen our ties, but also to act in a coordinated and decisive manner so that we overcome challenges and open up new horizons through joint efforts," he said.

Trade is a cornerstone of Kyrgyz-Russian cooperation, Japarov said. Bilateral trade topped $3 billion in 2023, and the heads of state set an ambitious task of bringing it to $5 billion.

This goal can be achieved through developing e-commerce, cutting business costs, introducing new financial instruments to support exporters, boosting industrial cooperation in order to create added value and jobs, and eliminating barriers on borders of Eurasian Economic Union member states, he said.

Kyrgyzstan has initiated the development of a new multimodal transport corridor to go through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, including a ferry line in the Caspian Sea, and to give a strong impetus to logistics and trade, Japarov said.