Kyrgyz FM discusses state and prospects of cooperation with OSCE Secretary General

Bishkek, March 12, 2022. / Kabar /. On the sidelines of the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya, a meeting was held on March 11, 2022, between Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Ruslan Kazakbaev and Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Helga Maria Schmid, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan reported.

During the conversation, the sides exchanged views on topical issues of politics and security, including the situation around Ukraine.

Kazakbaev informed the interlocutor about the impartial position of the Kyrgyz side, voiced by President of the country Sadyr Zhaparov, and the call for the parties to sit down at the negotiating table to resolve the conflict exclusively by diplomatic methods. In this regard, he stressed that the Kyrgyz Republic supports the start of the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine on a peaceful settlement of the conflict and welcomes the holding of meetings of the heads of the foreign ministries of the two countries on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum on March 10. He also informed that, if necessary, the Kyrgyz side expresses its readiness to provide its platform and provide the necessary mediation assistance to establish peace and mutual understanding. The Kyrgyz side noted the importance of avoiding further human casualties and the need to find new formats for an effective dialogue.

In addition, the head of the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry highly appreciated the work organized by the OSCE Secretariat to ensure the safe temporary evacuation of international staff of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), including citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Secretary General Schmid noted the importance of the work of the monitoring group and thanked the Kyrgyz side for its contribution to the work of the SMM and sending its observers. She also informed about the current and future activities of the OSCE in the framework of the Ukrainian crisis. We are talking about humanitarian assistance, possible monitoring activities and peacebuilding.

Secretary General Schmid welcomed the proposal of the Kyrgyz Republic to resolve the conflict and thanked for the support of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek. She noted the need for the member states of the Organization to comply with the fundamental principles and obligations that underlie it.

Regarding the bilateral agenda, the sides discussed the state of and prospects for cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the OSCE and the preparations for the High-Level Conference “30 Years of Cooperation between Central Asia and the OSCE” planned for May 2022.