By IANS,
Ankara : Visiting Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambaev said Tuesday that Kyrgyzstan and Turkey would mutually lift visa restrictions and establish a “high level strategic cooperation council” to boost bilateral ties.
Addressing a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan in Ankara, Atambaev said Kyrgyzstan and Turkey had taken a historic step as they signed high-level strategic cooperation and tax exemption agreements, and the second step would be to solve work permit problem.
Turkey had always supported Kyrgyzstan with donations and humanitarian assistance, Atambaev said, adding that Turkey donated 61 million US dollars to Tuesday and Kyrgyzstan has received a total of $71 million ollars of donation from Turkey this year.
Atambaev said his country would also lift visa requirements with Russia and set up a customs union system. “We’ll establish a large economic region from Ankara to Moscow.”
Erdogan said the central Asian countries should have a visa- free agreement similar to the European Union’s Schengen treaty to enable citizens of these countries to travel without visas.