Kyrgyzstan is the only country from the region of Central Asia that chose parliamentary democracy in 2010, and this is reflected in its open society, independent media and very active civil society, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák on Tuesday. "There are countries that view it as slightly problematic to cooperate with the OSCE because they get the feeling that someone is keeping tabs on them. Kyrgyzstan isn't such a country," said Lajčák. "The OSCE is a good partner for them, and that's why cooperation has been advantageous for both sides," he added, stating that the OSCE really has helped the country in a concrete way. He further stated that the OSCE has considerable knowledge and expertise, which can be really helpful to countries if they have an interest in making use of it.
The OSCE is currently celebrating 20 years of operating within Kyrgyzstan. According to Lajčák, the organisation has significantly contributed towards democratic processes in the post-Soviet country. In his role as Slovak foreign minister, Lajčák has signed a memorandum on bilateral cooperation with Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Affairs Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov, defining a series of specific points that both countries intend to carry out. Parliamentary Chair Dastan Zhumabekov has assured Lajčák that next year's general election in the country will be free and fair and in accordance with European standards. Kyrgyzstan, a country of six million people, became an independent state following the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
