Moscow, Bishkek discuss Kyrgyz membership in Customs Union

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev met his Kyrgyz counterpart Omurbek Babanov and said that Moscow approves Kyrgyzstan as a member of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, RIA Novosti reports.

Medvedev reminded that Kyrgyzstan owes Russia $500 million.

Babanov assured that Russia is a strategic partner of Kyrgyzstan with no issues that could not be resolved.

The Russian PM expects the trade turnover between the two states to reach a pre-crisis level by the end of this year.

Babanov thanked Russia for support. He expressed condolences of the tragedy in the Krasnodar Territory where over 170 people had died.