“The European Union is working on a new Central Asia strategy in which Kyrgyzstan will play a priority role, and a reinforcement of the partnership and cooperation agreement between the two parties is also on the agenda”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó told Hungarian news agency MTI following talks in Bishkek.

Mr. Szijjártó was received in the Kyrgyz capital by President of the Republic Almazbek Atambayev. The Hungarian Foreign Minister held talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Erlan Abdildayev, First Deputy Prime Minister Muhamettkaly Abulgaziev, Minister of Health Talantbek Batiraliyev and Minister of Economy Arzybek Kozhoshev. He also had a meeting with the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Altynai Omurbekova.

The fact that the EU is turning its attention towards Central Asia is creating an opportunity to give Hungarian-Kyrgyz cooperation new and greater momentum, Mr. Szijjártó said. During the talks, an agreement was reached concerning the fact that the programme for developing economic cooperation will concentrate on four areas, the most important of which is the pharmaceuticals industry. Hungarian pharmaceutical company Gedeon Richter is already represented in Kyrgyzstan and its products are already present on the Kyrgyz market. “We will continue to increase the number of Hungarian pharmaceutical products available on the Kyrgyz market”, the Minister told the press.

The second is the area of healthcare development projects – Hungarian healthcare products will be appearing on the Kyrgyz market. The basis of cooperation is provided by the fact that Hungary’s Eximbank is already financing healthcare development projects in the country in cooperation with the World Bank Group. This provides an opportunity to enable Hungarian healthcare products and equipment to reach the Kyrgyz market.

Hungarian environmental protection and water management solutions were pinpointed as a third element in view of the fact that 40 percent of Kyrgyzstan’s gross domestic product (DGP) is derived from mining and the sector has various side-effects on the environment and water management. Hungarian environmental protection and water management technologies could appear on the Kyrgyz market to provide solutions to these issues.

The fourth area of cooperation is Kyrgyz demand for the development of its energy infrastructure, including both its electricity network and within the field of hydroelectric power stations. Hungarian knowledge will also be of assistance in these areas, Mr. Szijjártó said.

In the interests of facilitating these plans, an agreement was reached on finalising a new economic cooperation agreement before the end of the year, within the framework of which a new economic joint committee will be set up, an investment protection agreement will be concluded and Eximbank will be providing a 27.7 million US Dollar credit line to facilitate cooperation between Hungarian and Kyrgyz enterprises.

During the talks, Hungary offered 25 scholarships for students from Kyrgyzstan to attend Hungarian universities.

As the Minister explained, cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Hungary is being afforded an extremely important role with respect to cooperation between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union. “International political processes are currently making the commencement of pragmatic cooperation between the two blocs based on mutual advantages totally impossible”, Mr. Szijjártó highlighted.

However, cooperation between Hungary and Kyrgyzstan entering a new dimension could provide the best foundations for future cooperation between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union, the Minister said. An agreement was also reached on initiating the establishment of a platform for cooperation between the Visegrád Group (V4) and the countries of the Central Asian region. The Hungarian Foreign Minister will be pushing for progress on this within the V4, while his Kyrgyz counterpart will be doing the same with other countries in the region.

“The Central European economies, which are currently the driving force for growth within the European Union, could profit a great deal if they work together to appear on the otherwise open markets of Central Asian countries”, Mr. Szijjártó said in closing.

(MTI / Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)