Chinese, Kyrgyz FMs Hold Talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Muratbek Sansyzbayevich Yimanaliyev Thursday.

The two sides exchanged views on Sino-Kyrgyz relations, and regional and international issues of shared concern.

Tang said that the neighborly and reciprocal cooperative relations between China and Kyrgyzstan serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples and help keep regional peace, security and stability.

Sino-Kyrgyz relations have progressed well since the two countries established diplomatic ties ten years ago, and the two countries have conducted fruitful cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, culture and transportation, Tang said.

Tang added that the two countries also share common stances on major regional and international issues, and support and cooperatewith each other in international organizations like the United Nations, especially within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Yimanaliyev said the Kyrgyz government firmly supports the Chinese government's position on the issues of Taiwan and combating the "East Turkistan" terrorist forces, and speaks highlyof China's long-time support for the Kyrgyz government's efforts to safeguard its national independence, sovereignty and security, and to develop its national economy.

The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the development of the situation in Afghanistan, and both agreed to support the international community in the fight against all manners of terrorism.

The two sides expressed the hope that Afghanistan recover its peace and stability at the earliest possible date, and establish agovernment which is broad-based, representing the interests of allethnic groups in that country and developing good relations with other countries, especially Afghanistan's neighbors, as soon as possible.

The two sides also agreed that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan should be safeguarded; the Afghan people should be able to decide on the political solution to their problem independently; and the United Nations should play a major role in the process of reconstructing that country.

(China Daily November 23, 2001)