Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made important statements at the informal summit of Central Asian presidents and Azerbaijan in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. Tokayev said the region’s global role is increasingly growing and its voice is heard more loudly on the international stage.
According to the Akorda Press Service, Tokayev thanked the summit host, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, saying, “Kyrgyzstan is showing impressive growth rates. We sincerely rejoice at all your successes. The welfare of the Kyrgyz state is a guarantee of stability and sustainable development of all Central Asia.”
Tokayev described the completion of the signing process of the Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation Agreement for the Development of Central Asia in the 21st Century as a major achievement. Emphasizing that this historic document is a new milestone in strategic partnership, Tokayev said the agreement forms the political framework for regional cooperation based on mutual trust, respect and shared responsibility for the future.
Thanking Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedow for his participation in the agreement, Tokayev said he thought the next stage could be the practical implementation of the provisions of this document. Tokayev proposed the preparation and adoption of an Action Plan containing clear objectives for strengthening friendship and good neighborliness, and consolidating trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian cooperation.
Noting that Central Asia is experiencing the most successful period in its modern history thanks to strengthened mutual trust and the steady development of regional cooperation, Tokayev said Azerbaijan’s full participation in the Consultative Meetings marks a new stage in the positive evolution of this format. “Thanks to joint efforts, conditions are being created for deepening political dialogue, increasing cooperation in investment, energy, industry, and creating a common transport and logistics system,” he said.
Tokayev noted that in recent years, intra-regional trade has steadily increased, business connections have expanded, joint ventures have been established, investment projects implemented, and humanitarian contacts strengthened, and said all these positive outcomes have brought brotherly peoples even closer and consolidated the region’s international authority.
Tokayev also described Kyrgyzstan’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council as a “historic achievement” and congratulated President Japarov and the Kyrgyz people. He added that the key issues and institutional development initiatives discussed at last year’s meeting in Tashkent remain relevant and require close cooperation for implementation.
Stressing that Kazakhstan is committed to the agreements reached and determined to advance constructive initiatives to strengthen friendship, good neighborliness and strategic partnership ties, Tokayev concluded by wishing Turkmenistan success in future events within the Consultative Meetings format.
At the summit, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedow, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also delivered speeches.
