by Elmira Tariverdiyeva, Baku. Exclusively for VK
After 20 years of silence in Azerbaijani-Kyrgyz relations, a new tendency of strengthening ties between Turkic states has been born. Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has recently visited Azerbaijan and is expected to start a new stage of cultural development.
“We have agreed to continue strengthening the unity of the Turkic world, take an active part in integration processes and support all initiatives for rapprochement of the Turkic peoples of the world. We have common grounds on all points. The Turkic world has got a very active guide and supporter of our peoples and rapprochement of independent states with common history, President Almazbek Atambayev”, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said after a meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart.
Almazbek Atambayev said at the Azerbaijani parliament that bilateral cooperation is peculiar for mutual support: “I am proud that I am the first Kyrgyz president to make an official visit to Azerbaijan. I expect your support so that the documents signed would come into force faster. We have a common religion and language. History gives us another chance to strengthen Turkic unity”.
Asim Mollazade, an MPand member of the committee for international relations and interparliamentary links of the parliament, said that Baku’s position on consolidating the Turkic world is obviously positive. The Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States is headquartered in Baku, and Azerbaijan has stimulated its activity in this aspect on numerous occasions, the MP said. “We feel as though peoples and states with common cultural, language and ethnic origins should coordinate actions, boost activity in cooperation, especially in culture, economy, education, transport,” Mollazade said. According to the official, President Atambayev’s speech at the parliament received applause, because he talked about a strategy Baku is familiar with, about the need for cooperation and coordination of activity. “Azerbaijan is improving bilateral cooperation with the states of Central Asia and Turkey in this aspect, as well as many regions of Russia where the population is mainly Turkic. Baku cooperates actively with TURKSOY, the so-called UNESCO of the Turkic world, and we believe that establishment of such contacts in various spheres benefits all states,” Mollazade said. In his opinion, the Kyrgyz president’s speech at the Azerbaijani parliament depicts the process between two states based on improvement of cooperation and mutual support.
Tofik Abbasov, an Azerbaijani political analyst, said that the domestic political problems of Kyrgyzstan have become an obstacle on the path towards development of a verified foreign political course of the state. “This circumstance has become the reason why Bishkek has to limit itself with declarations and hardly has an opportunity to take part in economic projects in integration of the Turkic community. Lack of resources for economic and cultural-humanitarian contacts with its neighbours Azerbaijan and Turkey has resulted in expenditures of the Kyrgyz people,” Abbasov said. New forces in the government, according to the expert, have full understanding that it is time to fill the vacuum in the integration scheme. Should the pragmatic course be taken, Kyrgyzstan would be able to cope with the economic and social recession fast, becoming a relevant state. Integration, as Abbasov goes on, starts with realization of rational regional policy: “The closest neighbours of Kyrgyzstan are self-sufficient economic states, such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, progressively increasing their economic potential, building up a background for development of regional cooperation. Such states are involved in major transport and communication, energy projects with the assistance of transnational companies. Bishkek has every chance of catching up in developing clear priorities and become a fully-fledged part in the existing and future configurations of cooperation.”
The leaders of the Turkic states have emphasized that the Turkic community is not a political bloc, but a cultural and humanitarian space, where everyone has potential for development, Abbasov says. “In order to achieve success in cooperation, all sides need to take part. This is the only way for a healthy organism to be formed, where every subject will purposefully work to increase individual and common production, consumer potential,” the expert believes. Bishkek expects the support and assistance of Azerbaijan, a friendly state with great socio-economic potential capable of bringing life to the economic organism of Kyrgyzstan. “Atambayev has clearly stated that Bishkek expects Azerbaijan’s support in realization of the renovation program. Its imperatives have found understanding in Baku, which points out a conclusion that Azerbaijan will give Kyrgyzstan financial and economic support. Reaching a high level of bilateral relations means that Kyrgyzstan would be able to fulfil a threefold task by becoming a partner of Azerbaijan. On the one hand, bilateral ties will develop actively; on the other, Bishkek will get an opportunity to be more active in the Turkic community;, finally, there will be another encouraging vector in the CIS,” Abbasov said. According to the expert, Baku, in its active phase of international policy and the economic leader of the region, is capable of having a positive influence on domestic processes in Kyrgyzstan by offering the state real support.
