Hungary’s foreign minister discusses Hungary-Kyrgyzstan, EU-central Asia ties in Bishkek

Bishkek, April 26 (MTI) – Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó met Kyrgyz officials in Bishkek on Tuesday to discuss bilateral economic ties and strengthening relations between the European Union and central Asian countries.

The EU is working on a new central Asia strategy which will devote more attention to the Kyrgyz Republic and strengthening the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the two is also being discussed, Szijjártó told MTI.

By paying closer attention to central Asia, the EU is giving Hungary and the Kyrgyz Republic a chance to boost their economic cooperation, Szijjártó said.

The parties agreed to focus economic cooperation on four areas, with the primary emphasis on the pharmaceutical industry. Szijjártó noted that Hungarian drugmaker Gedeon Richter already sells its products in Kyrgyzstan and has a representative office there.

Cooperation will also focus on health-care developments with Hungary supplying health-care products to the Kyrgyz Republic.

The two countries agreed that Hungary would export environmental protection and water management solutions. The fourth area covered by the agreement is energy infrastructure, particularly pertaining to electricity supply and hydropower.