OREANDA-NEWS. September 23, 2010.Mr Medvedev and Mr Kulov discussed the current situation in Kyrgyzstan.

Dmitry Medvedev noted that as Kyrgyzstan’s strategic partner, Russia is interested in seeing peace and order in this nation and counts on the processes underway to be resolved within the confines of the law.

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PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Mr Kulov, I will not hide that we are following the developments in Kyrgyzstan and the political processes going on in your nation very carefully. Russia is a natural strategic partner for Kyrgyzstan. And we are very interested in seeing peace, calm, and order on Kyrgyzstani land, as well as for the people of many ethnicities living in your nation to have all the economic, social, and political conditions for their development. Thus, we very much hope that all the political processes going on right now will be completed within the framework of existing law, and that an effective government will be formed which will quickly begin work. That, I suppose, is most important, and that is our main priority as we build our foreign policy with Kyrgyzstan.

Naturally, Kyrgyzstan is not just our close neighbour and strategic partner; we are also partners within integration associations – we are both EurAsEC and CSTO members. And naturally, many of today’s issues pertaining to ensuring regional security will, I hope, continue to be resolved within the framework of these regional organisations in the future. Thus, I want to emphasise again that we are very interested observers of what is happening in your nation, the political processes that are taking place, and the results that those processes produce. I want to stress again that it is very important for these elections to yield a strong, responsible, competent government.

CHAIRMAN OF KYRGYZSTAN’S AR-NAMYS PARTY FELIX KULOV: Thank you very much. With all the political diversity existing in our nation, an overwhelming majority of our politicians agree that it is imperative for us to strengthen ties with Russia. And thus, even with the ongoing election battles and processes you are talking about, we nevertheless all feel it is impossible to have a future without Russia. And all the political forces are united in that area, which makes us very happy, because our party also holds this position.

Today, I participated in the signing of a corresponding inter-party agreement with United Russia. Indeed, we are taking practical steps now to strengthen our contacts. I must say that there are also other political parties, authorities, and community leaders who are trying to make a specific input into strengthening our relations. We share your concern regarding the situation occurring in that part of the region, because there are certain alarming issues. I also share your preoccupation regarding the fact that currently it may be premature to discuss a parliamentary system in the form that it exists. You expressed concerns on this matter. I fully share them. And many political parties also express concern about the fact that we may have done some things prematurely in our Constitution. Our next steps will certainly be directed specifically at strengthening our nationhood in order to ensure peace and stability in the region and so that our elections are conducted as openly, objectively, and fairly as possible. In my view, these outcomes will clearly serve as more proof that we want to maintain peace in our region. It is very important.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: We would also very much like to see that. We are counting on it.