Kyrgyzstan, OSCE reaffirm intention to strengthen democratic institutions in republic

Bishkek, April 13, 2021 . / Kabar / . Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE have reaffirmed intention to continue constructive cooperation on the further development and strengthening of democratic institutions in the Kyrgyz Republic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Ruslan Kazakbaev said during a joint statement following talks with OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ann Linde. He said that the visit of the OSCE chairman-in-office is symbolic because it coincides with the local council elections and the constitutional referendum of Kyrgyzstan held on April 11, 2021. "During our meeting, we discussed the current state and prospects of interaction between Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE. We had a constructive exchange of views on international and regional security issues. The sides noted the importance of supporting Kyrgyzstan on further development and strengthening of democratic institutions and the improvement of the electoral system. In particular, the upcoming parliamentary elections. A mutual intention to continue constructive cooperation in further supporting democratic processes in Kyrgyzstan and strengthening the country's stability and security was confirmed," he said. In addition, Kazakbaev noted the sides also considered the cooperation of Kyrgyzstan with Sweden. "It is important for Kyrgyzstan to develop relations with Sweden, both in multilateral and bilateral formats. We discussed the intensification of inter-parliamentary cooperation, which has become an additional effective measure for increasing the efficiency of bilateral dialogue. Kyrgyzstan is interested in attracting investments from Sweden. In this regard, cooperation in such areas as hydropower, mining, information technology and tourism seems very promising," the Kyrgyz minister said.