BISHKEK, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov on Monday met with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, exchanging views on bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
"We are always glad to meet our Russian friends. Your official visit is taking place on the eve of a significant political event -- the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kyrgyzstan," the press service of the Kyrgyz president cited Jeenbekov as saying.
Jeenbekov expressed confidence that the visit of Putin will be a demonstration of a high level of alliance and strategic partnership based on strong traditions of historical friendship and mutual respect between the two countries.
Jeenbekov noted that with the accession of Kyrgyzstan to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), relations between Kyrgyzstan and Russia have shifted to a new, higher-quality level of cooperation.
Lavrov noted that his official visit to Bishkek was devoted to the preparation of the state visit of Putin to Kyrgyzstan, as well as to a meeting of the intergovernmental commission which will be held on March 1.
Lavrov said Russia values its relations with Kyrgyzstan within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the EEU, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations and other organizations.
The two sides also discussed the upcoming meetings of the Council of Heads of State of SCO and the CSTO Collective Security Council under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan in 2019.
