On 15 December 2010 at 15.10 hrs, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya held a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Mr. Nurlan Aitmurzaev, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok, on the sideline of the Third Asia-Middle East Dialogue Ministerial Meeting (AMED III).
The Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic extended his felicitations to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and congratulated Thai people on the occasion of His Majesty’s 83rd Birthday Anniversary on 5 December 2010.
The Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister also briefed the Thai side on the progress of his country’s national reconciliation process, noting that democracy had been restored and the Kyrgyz Republic is currently undergoing a reform process. In this regard, he proposed that the two countries promote exchange of visits between respective parliamentarians, and sought cooperation from Thailand in sharing its experiences in such areas as political reform, social and economic development, tourism, health, education as well as anti-terrorism. In this regard, Foreign Minister Kasit expressed Thailand’s readiness to extend cooperation in the form of “country programmes,” especially in the area of planning on socio-economic structural development in which Thailand has expertise. Such cooperation could be carried out by arranging study visits by the Kyrgyz authorities concerned to Thailand’s National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) or dispatching experts from the NESDB to the Kyrgyz Republic.
Furthermore, Deputy Foreign Minister Aitmurzaey proposed that both sides work together towards agreements on such issues as visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports, protection and promotion of investment and civil aviation. Welcoming this proposal, the Thai Foreign Minister noted in particular the possibility of opening direct flights between Thailand and the Kryrgyz Republic, saying that he would inform Thai Airways International Public Company Limited and other concerned airlines of this idea.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th