BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan urged Kazakhstan to remove border restrictions on the entry of its citizens to the neighboring country.

Kyrgyzstan Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbayev received Rapil Zhoshybayev, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Bishkek, on Thursday to discuss the ties between the two countries, according to a statement by the Kyrgyzstan Foreign Ministry.

Kazakbayev stressed the need to remove restrictive measures on the entry of Kyrgyz citizens to Kazakhstan for the free movement and transit of citizens and vehicles across the territory of the two countries.

Kazakhstan has only been allowing entry of those who have first-immediate relatives or come for a funeral and business trip since March 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Kazakbayev and Zhoshybayev also discussed trade and economic cooperation and exchanged views on expediating the building of joint trade and logistics centers in the border areas.