Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Undertakes First Visit to Luxembourg

On Thursday 13 February 2020, Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn received his Kyrgyz counterpart Chingiz Aidarbekov for the latter's first working visit to Luxembourg.

The visit provided an opportunity for the two ministers to take stock of bilateral relations between Luxembourg and the Kyrgyz Republic and on cooperation between the latter and the European Union, in the context of the new EU strategy on Central Asia.

Jean Asselborn welcomed the prospect of the imminent signing of a double taxation agreement and an agreement relating to air services between Luxembourg and the Kyrgyz Republic. These agreements will strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries.

The two ministers similarly welcomed the good cooperation between Luxembourg and the Kyrgyz Republic in international organisations, in particular at the United Nations.

Their discussions also served to highlight the efforts of the Kyrgyz Republic to consolidate its parliamentary democracy. Chingiz Aidarbekov reported on the strengthening of cooperation between the five countries of Central Asia, at political and economic levels, and of the partnership between these countries and the EU. He confirmed that Kyrgyzstan will soon sign an enhanced partnership and cooperation agreement with the EU.

Finally, the Kyrgyz and Luxembourg foreign ministers had an exchange of views on the latest developments in Europe, current events in Central Asia and the relations of the Kyrgyz Republic with its neighbours, including China, as well as Russia.