Statement by President Sadyr Japarov

- Dear representatives of the media, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, to Bishkek. This is his first state visit to the Kyrgyz Republic. I am delighted that six months after I visited Baku, esteemed Ilham Heydar oglu is making a reciprocal visit, which once again testifies to the strength of interstate relations between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan.

In the spirit of strategic partnership, we have held meaningful talks on topical issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between our states and exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest. The talks were held in an atmosphere of complete mutual understanding, openness and trust, which characterize the fraternal relations between our states. We have confirmed the invariability of the course towards the activation and expansion of the strategic partnership. I note with satisfaction that the launch of the Interstate Council and the agreements signed today are clear indicators of the active development of our cooperation in the political, trade and investment spheres. In the cultural and humanitarian sphere, I would like to highlight the joint opening of two general education schools named after Heydar Aliyev and Nizami Ganjavi, which have already become a symbol of unbreakable friendship between our fraternal peoples. In this context, I would like to emphasize with particular satisfaction the importance of implementing these landmark projects that contribute to the deepening of mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between our countries and peoples. It is gratifying that our youth, the future of Kyrgyzstan, will receive education in these excellent schools. I am sure that our boys and girls will become a bridge of friendship and cooperation between fraternal Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.

I am also pleased to note that we will participate in the opening of the Friendship Park of Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, the construction of which was completed the day before with the help of our Azerbaijani friends. I do hope that this remarkable park will become a favorite recreation spot for residents and visitors to our capital. On the eve of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, we have agreed, as the next stage, to accelerate the operation of the joint Development Fund, sign a five-year comprehensive program for the development of cooperation and hold the Days of Culture of Kyrgyzstan in Azerbaijan in 2023 and the Days of Culture of Azerbaijan in Kyrgyzstan in 2024. I am sure that the further development of our bilateral relations will be very positive. We will be glad to welcome Azerbaijani investors to Kyrgyzstan and are ready for cooperation in economic sectors.

Much remains to be done in the transport and logistical sector, information and communication technologies, education, tourism and sports. Today, we once again confirmed the strategic nature of our relations and raised them to the highest level, which is the historical testament of our ancestors. I would like to thank the distinguished President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, for his personal contribution to the strengthening of the ties of friendship between our peoples and countries. I wish you great success and inexhaustible energy in achieving high goals for the benefit of the people of Azerbaijan, peace and further prosperity for the brotherly Azerbaijani people. Thank you for your attention.

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Statement by President Ilham Aliyev

- Dear ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I would like to once again express my gratitude to the President of Kyrgyzstan's invitation to visit your brotherly country. As Sadyr Nurgozhoyevich has said, this is my first official visit. In previous years, I visited Kyrgyzstan twice, but this was due to participation in the work of international organizations. Those were international events. Therefore, this visit is of particular importance. As Sadyr Nurgozhoyevich has noted, only six months ago, we welcomed him in Baku, and today, I am here in Bishkek. This suggests that we want to implement what we are planning quickly. Reciprocal visits are usually made no earlier than a year later. In our case, it took six months. This is just a demonstration of the fact that we are focused on results.

I should note with satisfaction that a part of what we outlined during our Baku meeting has already been implemented. First of all, I would like to mention the decision to establish a joint Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani Development Fund, which will serve the cause of development, the cause of attracting investments, creating jobs and even more prerequisites for building up cooperation in the trade and economic sphere.

Six months ago, we signed the Declaration on Strategic Partnership, which raised our relations to a qualitatively new level. Today we note with satisfaction how this Declaration is being implemented. Much of what we identified six months ago is already being transformed into the sphere of real politics today. We discussed in detail a wide range of issues, from cultural and humanitarian cooperation, economic interaction, and transport interaction to issues related to education and high technologies. I must say that two Azerbaijani satellites, Azersky and Azerspace-1, have been providing services to Kyrgyz partners for some time now. We have identified additional ways to develop cooperation in this area. In the transport and transit sector, with the start of construction and commissioning of the new China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Caspian railway, there will be opportunities to increase trade and reduce transportation costs. We congratulate fraternal Kyrgyzstan, as well as other partner countries, on the launch of this important project. Thus, having transport links, implementing an investment policy in the areas of priority for the government of Kyrgyzstan, and also having such a solid foundation of international legal nature, namely, as I have already noted, the Declaration on Strategic Partnership, the documents signed here in Bishkek today and those signed in Baku half a year ago, we are, in fact, somewhat making up for what was missed for some reason in previous years. I think that one of the main directions of our future cooperation will be precisely the fact that we should be focused on concrete results.

We have a common history, we understand each other, and we support each other. Today, the President and I also exchanged views on cooperation within the framework of international organizations. There, too, cooperation is sincere and based on mutual support. Of course, I have expressed special gratitude to the President on behalf of the entire Azerbaijani people for such a kind attitude toward the memory of the great representatives of the Azerbaijani people. One of the largest schools in Bishkek will bear the name of the founder of the Azerbaijani state, Heydar Aliyev. Another school will bear the name of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi. Today we will open the Kyrgyzstan-Azerbaijan Friendship Park. Baku and Bishkek have become sister cities. Today we have also discussed a continuation of this list by other cities, including the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, Shusha, which will be twinned with the cities of Kyrgyzstan. Even the enumeration of all the items on our agenda despite the time constraints of the press conference speaks volumes of the depth of cooperation, the sincerity of relations and our confidence that what we outlined here today will also be carried out, as was the case with what we outlined six months ago.

I would like to express my gratitude to the President for the invitation and hospitality again. I am very delighted to be revisiting the fraternal land of Kyrgyzstan. Taking this opportunity, I would like to wish the people of Kyrgyzstan peace, prosperity and success. The people of Azerbaijan have great respect for the fraternal Kyrgyz people. Thank you.