Kyrgyzstan, Turkey to further develop cooperation in defense sector
By Aynur Jafarova
Kyrgyzstan and Turkey have decided to further develop cooperation in the defense sector.
This was noted at a meeting held between Kyrgyz Defense Minister Abibilla Kudaiberdiev and Turkish National Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz in Dushanbe on September 24.
Yilmaz is on a three-day visit (September 23-25) to Kyrgyzstan.
During the meeting, Kudaiberdiev said there are appropriate grounds for cooperation between the countries.
He also thanked Turkey for its assistance to improve the technical units of Kyrgyz armed forces.
Following the meeting, the two ministers signed a number of documents including an agreement between the governments of Kyrgyzstan and Turkey on training and cooperating in military medicine; an agreement on military financial cooperation; and a protocol on financial assistance.
Later, Head of the General Staff of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces Asanbek Alymkozhoyev said the Turkish government will provide the Kyrgyz armed forces with financial assistance in the amount of $1 million per year.
"The assistance will be first provided for the border guard service, and then for the National Guard and the Ministry of Defense," Alymkozhoyev added.
He went on to say that Turkey will consider the possibility of supporting the construction of a military institute in Bishkek.
The cooperation between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan is developing successfully in various fields.
The trade turnover between them amounted $228 million in 2012. The two countries plan to raise Turkish-Kyrgyz trade turnover to $1 billion by 2017.
The main sectors for Turkish investment in Kyrgyzstan's economy are processing industry, construction, trade, agriculture, production of rubber and plastic items, machinery and equipment production and financial operations.
Turkish foreign direct investment in the Kyrgyz economy exceeded $20 million in 2012. More than 300 joint Kyrgyz-Turkish ventures operate in Kyrgyzstan and since 1995. Turkey has invested $300 million foreign direct investment in Kyrgyz economy so far.