As minister
of foreign affairs what are your main challenges
and goals in your position? What would you
like to accomplish during your term in office?
My main objective is to make our ministry,
and our diplomatic service in general work
more efficiently by following the main guidelines
set in our mission, like the attraction
of foreign investment, ensuring the security
of our country by bilateral and multilateral
diplomacy as well as promoting an attractive
image of our country in the outside world.
These are in general the objectives of the
Foreign Affairs Ministry. Undoubtedly, there
is a correlation between the size of the
country, its potential for attracting investment
and the available assets that make it more
attractive. The smaller the country is and
the poorer the country is in natural resources,
the more active we should seek international
acknowledgement, promotion of bilateral
trade.
How would you describe the progression
of regional cooperation between the Kyrgyz
Republic and neighboring countries such
as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and China as
well as European countries, and the USA,
which is one of the largest foreign investors
worldwide? Do you think your relations with
them have improved, are you satisfied with
the level of regional cooperation achieved
so far?
Concerning regional cooperation, we are
certainly looking forward to creating closer
ties with our neighbors. Right after we
gained independence and with the dissolution
of FSU there were enough political similarities
and commitments to promote closer cooperation
among Central Asian states founded on the
commonality of our historical background,
linguistic ties and spiritual past. If we
consider the political connections and the
economic interdependencies amongst the nations
of our region, there certainly is a great
level of mutual supplementary within all
our countries. For a country like the Kyrgyz
Republic one of the primary objectives for
its development should be to utilize all
the possibilities that regional economic
cooperation offers. We hope that collective
understanding would prevail so that we may
all achieve our national objectives while
promoting closer ties with each other. There
are some problematic difficulties we are
facing at the moment, like the problem of
transit and differences in the approach
to the distribution of water, but mutually
acceptable solution will be found, taking
into account that every country understands
the effects of promoting regional integration
of course.
In regards to China, I would like to say
that we attach principle importance to the
promotion of friendly relations with our
great neighbor. The Kyrgyz Republic and
China have recently concluded the process
of resolving our border issues and signed
a treaty on neighborliness friendship and
cooperation. This is a unique agreement,
which if I am not mistaken, China has only
signed with Mongolia and Russia. Our commercial
and manufacturing output potential can be
directed towards the great markets that
northern-western China can offer. With this
in mind we are working towards undertaking
joint infrastructural projects with China,
with a first priority being the implementation
of a transcontinental railroad project that
would link China, through the Kyrgyz Republic,
and Uzbekistan to Europe. That would I believe
increase our potential in successful and
sustainable economic development.
In what regards other regions of the world,
the USA is one of our major donors in development
as well as EU countries.
After September 11th, the issue of security
came to the forth front of the international
community and along with it the Kyrgyz Republic
as well as the development of Central Asia.
These tragic events have brought attention
to our nation since we are hosting the Antiterrorist
Coalition airbase and we are actively contributing
to the success of the operation in Afghanistan.
I believe that the Kyrgyz Republic promoting
multilateral foreign policy and trying to
be flexible on international arena. We should
keep this philosophy in our policy.
The Kyrgyz Republic has just recently
been accepted to the World Trade Organization.
What does that mean for your country and how
will this benefit the influx of foreign investment
as well as the level of exterior trade and
exports? Do you think that this contributes
to a more sustainable economic development
of the country? |
We were in fact
the first amongst CIS countries to be the
member of the World Trade Organization. In
the middle and long term it will definitely
improve our economic state. At the moment
what we are looking at is the advantages we
can receive due to our membership in the organization.
Secondly, there are certain privileges for
WTO members in regards to trade with other
WTO member countries, we want to explore the
possibilities and exploit them. Our adherence
to the WTO would significantly help in harmonizing
our regulations and legislation with the outside
world. Our membership is facilitating our
collaborations with China who also has WTO
membership. So I think that this is only the
beginning and I am sure in the future we will
see even more benefits. So I am very happy
with the results.
One of the main conditions for increasing
foreign investment in Kyrgyzstan and the
attraction of foreign investors to republic
is incrementing the amount of foreign representation
abroad. In which ways does the FA ministry
seek investment for the republic?
Well everything is tightly related. We
have 25 representations abroad. The closest
Kyrgyz representation to Australia and to
the Pacific region is Malaysia. Whether
25 is enough depends on how well our representations
work in attracting foreign investors. I
think that at the moment they are doing
their best to meet the expectations of the
government at this regard, although we think
we can expand our representation network
in more directions, like Japan. Raising
regional security is one of the challenges
in further promoting investments in Central
Asia. Our land lock location and the lack
of huge natural resources is also a hindering
factor for our nation. Locations, lack of
resources are factors which are beyond our
control, but we should work hard to find
the comparative advantages of this country
has, like tourism, you will hopefully have
the opportunity to visit Issyk-Kul region.
Currently we are actively working on removing
existing barriers in our legislation and
practice to make Kyrgyzstan more attractive
for foreign businessmen. Besides that, this
country is the most liberal in the CIS regarding
visa regime.
The Kyrgyz Republic's location right in
the middle of the transit route from East
to West is also a contributing factor for
developing the possibilities and comparative
advantages that investors demand for investing
a certain country or region. I think these
are our main comparative advantages and
we should actively try to promote them.
Readers are always interested in the man
behind the desk. Could you tell our readers
a little about yourself, your professional
and political background and how you got into
this position? Out of all the experiences
you have gained from your current and previous
post, what would you consider to be your most
satisfactory achievement as an individual?
I graduated from Moscow State University
at the institute of Asia and African studies
a long time ago. After completing our studies
I worked in the department of Middle East
Affairs in the ministry of foreign affairs
of the USSR. I also worked in the USSR embassy
in Turkey. After the KR gained independence
I was appointed Deputy of the Foreign Affairs
Ministry and also had the honor of working
as a representative of Kyrgyz Republic to
the UN in New York. Then I worked president's
advisor and my last position is a minister
of foreign affairs.
My most memorable event was the resolution
of the General Assembly of the United Nations,
which recognized the international celebration
of the 1000-th anniversary of the Kyrgyz
national epic "Manas". It was
a unique resolution in the history of the
UN, a resolution I am very proud of having
been able to witness.
What message would you send to our readers
about the Kyrgyz Republic and what it has
to offer to investors and visitors?
I would like to invite your readers to the
Kyrgyz Republic. Next year we will be celebrating
the 2200th anniversary of Kyrgyz Statehood.
Anyone coming to our republic will find very
uncommon natural beauty in our mountains,
rivers and lakes. They will also find one
of the most ancient nations within Asia. They
will be able to testify for themselves why
Kyrgyz people are known for their hospitality,
straight forwardness and attachment to their
homeland. They will find I hope lots of interesting
things and hidden wonders for themselves. |
V.I.P. INTERVIEWS
