Kyrgyzstan supports effective use of region's water resources, corresponding measures and projects - president

BISHKEK. Oct 13 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan supports measures aimed at effectively using water resources in the region, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has said.

"Bearing in mind that some 40% of the region's water resources form on the territory of [our] country, we understand our great responsibility for the water supply to the region," Japarov was quoted as saying during a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State.

"In this context, bearing in mind the negative climatic impact on the water resources formation zone, and also the deterioration of water infrastructure in the region's countries, we support further timely measures and implementation of relevant irrigation, energy and infrastructure projects aimed at effectively using water and land resources, providing cheap and environmentally friendly electrical power, and also adapting to climate change," he said.

It is important to continue working together to promote the green economy development initiative and promote large-scale and prospective projects, he said.

Kyrgyzstan has taken active measures to soften the consequences of climate change and ensure climate stability while implementing the priorities of the program for its CIS chairmanship, he said.

"Japarov also addressed issues concerning humanitarian partnership, security, and other aspects of cooperation. In particular, he said 2023 had been declared the year of the Russian language, expressing confidence that Russian will remain a language of communication between our countries," the president's press service said.

Japarov mentioned one important area of cooperation, digitalization, noting that interaction and breakthroughs in this area should be based on the implementation of joint projects for organizing interaction on information between various state bodies of the CIS states. He also asked for support for the draft statement on digital technologies initiated by the Kyrgyz side.

A meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State is being held in Bishkek on Friday. The summit is being attended by the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did not go to Bishkek.