Russia's Putin pushes ties with Central Asia at regional summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin held meetings with three Central Asian leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Thursday. 

In talks with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Putin pointed out that Russia is Kyrgyzstan’s leading trade and economic partner, as well as its largest energy supplier, according to a Kremlin statement.

“We had a notable boost in trade last year … It grew 46.6%. And this year, (it) rose by 30% over the first five months, which is a good result,” he said.

Putin also thanked Japarov “for supporting the Russian language in Kyrgyzstan.”

“This support of the Russian language is a foundation for developing our relations in many other areas,” he said.

Japarov hailed the success of the Kyrgyz-Russian Development Fund, noting that it has approved 3,200 projects worth $440 million to date.

Terming Moscow a “strategic ally,” he said it is essential to strengthen “the mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan and our multidimensional cooperation.”

In his meeting with Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Putin said that there are “190 enterprises with Russian participation operating in Turkmenistan.”

He said Russia aims to diversify its economic ties with Turkmenistan through other spheres of cooperation, such as agriculture and the textile industry.

Berdimuhamedov, in turn, praised Russia for its “firm and unwavering support of Turkmenistan’s neutral foreign policy course,” as well as its initiatives at the UN and other international organizations.

Putin also held talks with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, after which the leaders signed a declaration on a comprehensive strategic partnership.

At a trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, Putin said Moscow wants greater cooperation with the two countries as they “share approaches to most pressing issues of the international agenda.”

He said the “Russia-China-Mongolia format is of particular importance,” effectively complementing bilateral cooperation and providing high added value for all three countries.