Gazprom defends Russia's honor - Kyrgyz president
BISHKEK. Oct 20 (Interfax) - Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev believes in the common future of Kyrgyzstan and Russia and is grateful to Gazprom for support of the country.
"We need to remember what connects two [Kyrgyz and Russian] nations. Yes, Kyrgyzstan is our homeland, but the Yenisei River is our ancestral home. We have too many ties to Russia," Atambayev said at the opening of a sports and recreation complex, which was built as part of the Gazprom for Children program in Bishkek, on Thursday.
"We are linked with Russia by 1000 years of history, I am confident, we have not only the common past, but also the common future," he said.
Atambayev said he is grateful to Gazprom for implementing a project of gasification of Kyrgyzstan and building sports and recreation complexes. "I remember how several years ago they attacked Atambayev as an enemy, who had given Kyrgyzstan's gas system to the Russian Gazprom in exchange for a dollar. But would those, who attacked, invest money in development of the country? I remember how they yelled in the parliament, how they cut off gas in the south of the country, where people lived without gas for six months, but now it is not a threat for us," he said.
"Remember that everything President Atambayev and his team do is aimed at the independence of the country," he said.
The president awarded Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller the Danaker order [Kyrgyzstan's highest honorary award] for contribution to development of cooperation.
"Gazprom maintains the level of Russia's image. It shows what Russia is capable of and that one can trust Russia, one should be friends with Russia. This company defends Russia's honor," Atambayev said.