NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Foreign Minister Beibut Atamkulov met with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov as well as participated in the Foreign Ministers’ Council (FMC) of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and the FMC of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during a May 20-22 official visit to Bishkek.
L-R: Beibut Atamkulov and Sooronbay Jeenbekov. Photo credit: mfa.gov.kz.
Atamkulov and Jeenbekov discussed bilateral cooperation, regional and international issues. They agreed to strengthen cooperation on regional issues. The Kyrgyz President also said Kazakhstan is a key foreign policy partner.
Atamkulov and Aidarbekov discussed political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, as well as international and regional issues. They also discussed sharing transboundary rivers, water and energy management as well as lifting phytosanitary and veterinary control restrictions within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The ministers also noted the two countries agree on many international issues and said cooperation is important within organisations such as the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Following the meeting, the two ministers signed the Intergovernmental protocol on activities of border checkpoints and the Programme of Cooperation between the foreign ministries of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for 2019-2020.
The CSTO Foreign Ministers’ meeting examined international and regional issues, the development of the organisation and measures to counter global threats.
Atamkulov reminded the gathering of Kazakhstan’s First President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s initiative for a new “3D” geopolitical reality, which would develop dialogue between leading world powers and international organisations to strengthen confidence and ease international tensions.
In advance of the CSTO summit next month, the foreign ministers council agreed on measures to reduce the possibility of tensions along the Tajik-Afghan border, a collective action plan to implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy for 2019-2021 and the CSTO Crisis Response Centre coordination protocol.
The foreign ministers also approved the List of Joint Statements for 2019 and the annual Plan of Expert Consultations on all areas of the organisation’s activities.
The foreign ministers also adopted an open appeal to the foreign ministers of NATO member states, with proposals to strengthen cooperation and trust. The document contains initiatives, such as the exchange of assessments and information, creation of mechanisms to prevent dangerous military activities, mutual invitations to trainings and the development of direct dialogue between the leadership and bodies of the two organisations.
In addition, the foreign ministers made a joint statement on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus during the Second World War.
They also signed the CSTO FMC Decision on presenting the candidature of Belarus for the CSTO Secretary General position to the CSTO Collective Security Council.
The SCO Foreign Ministers also discussed regional and international issues, ways to develop the SCO’s political, economic and humanitarian activities and ideas to increase cooperation between the SCO and international and regional organisations.
The foreign ministers of India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan also approved preparations for the June 14 SCO Heads of State Council meeting, the Bishkek Declaration and Information Report of the Summit and other decisions on the organisation’s activities.
The participants condemned terrorism and stressed the importance of implementing the UN Code of Conduct provisions adopted at Kazakhstan’s initiative in September 2018 to achieve a world free of terrorism.
Atamkulov also briefed the SCO foreign ministers on Kazakhstan’s positions on issues such as combating international terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and regional conflicts settlement, including in Syria and the Middle East. He also briefed the group on Nazarbayev’s initiative to establish a systemic economic dialogue between major regional organisations, including the EAEU, EU, SCO and the Association of South East Asian Nations.
The Kazakh foreign minister also informed his CSO counterparts about the implementation of Kazakh initiatives such as increasing the share of national currencies in mutual settlements, utilising the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), and creating a digital platform for the organisation.
Following the SCO meeting, the ministers adopted an Information Report of the SCO Foreign Ministers.
During the trip, Atamkulov visited the Chingiz Aitmatov House-Museum and laid flowers at the monument to the great Kyrgyz writer.
