ISTANBUL

Kyrgyzstan and Russia on Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in the international arena during talks between Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Japarov received Lavrov in the resort town of Cholpon-Ata, on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, where they discussed bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including coordination within integration platforms, a Kyrgyz presidency statement said.

Kyrgyzstan attaches great importance to its ties with Russia, which are “consistently strengthened in the spirit of alliance and strategic partnership,” the statement quoted Japarov as saying.

He described Russia as Kyrgyzstan’s “most important” trade and economic partner and highlighted the role of the Kyrgyz-Russian Development Fund as a key tool to boost investment cooperation.

“Kyrgyzstan is confidently moving along the path of sustainable development and progress. Our priorities include energy, transport, digitalization, tourism, as well as the development of rare earth and critical mineral resources,” Japarov said.

Lavrov conveyed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s greetings to his Kyrgyz counterpart and expressed Moscow’s readiness to expand cooperation in key sectors.

The parties confirmed their commitment to developing allied relations and deepening cooperation on the global stage, the statement added.

Lavrov arrived in Cholpon-Ata late Saturday on an official visit, during which he also held talks with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev earlier Sunday.

Lavrov will also attend a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's (CSTO) Council of Foreign Ministers in Cholpon-Ata on Monday.