Former Prime Minister reminded of the importance of "friendship with all"
Felix Kulov, former Prime Minister, reminded in his social media about his proposal to place the American military airbase "Gansi" in the Batken region. This statement was made in light of President Sadyr Japarov's recent visit to the United States and his participation in the "C5+1" summit in Washington.
The recent "C5+1" summit held in Washington sparked discussions about the possibility of Central Asian countries shifting their foreign policy strategies towards the United States.
The main argument in these discussions was the compliments and warm words that the leaders of the countries directed towards the President of the United States. However, such statements were more likely a response to the greetings from Donald Trump, who also did not hold back on praises for the leaders of the "five," which undoubtedly influenced the overall diplomatic climate of the meeting. It is worth noting that the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, showed great restraint in his assessments.
Nevertheless, the importance of the recent summit should not be underestimated. It could serve as a stimulus for a new level of economic and humanitarian interaction between Central Asia and the United States. This direction needs to be supported, as the influence of the United States on the international stage is quite significant, and this must be taken into account. Having friendly relations with such a power is undoubtedly an advantage.
At the same time, Kyrgyzstan, as an independent state, must consider the existing global realities and the diversity of its international relations. Our strategic partners are Russia, with which we have centuries-old ties, and China, with which strong partnership relations have been established in recent years.
As an illustration, several examples can be cited.
During my premiership, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Bishkek. She openly asked why Kyrgyzstan was so close to Russia.
I answered directly: it is not only about politics, but also about the million Kyrgyz citizens working in Russia, whose remittances at that time amounted to a sum comparable to the country's annual budget. We also received from Russia such important resources as fuel, metals, and timber.
In response, I added that if the United States could compensate for this volume of economic cooperation, we would be ready to engage with them in any formats, even refusing Russian supplies. To this, Condoleezza Rice just laughed and confirmed that she understood my position.
Pragmatism also underlies our relations with China, which are actively developing and bringing tangible benefits to both sides.
It is no coincidence that the program of my party "Ar-Namys" includes the principle of foreign policy: "Be friends with everyone, and if that is not possible, at least do not have enemies." This, in my opinion, is a rational and constructive formula for a small, yet self-respecting country striving for sustainable development.
When I held the position of Minister of National Security, I had contacts with intelligence agencies from various countries, some of which did not have good relations. But none of us even thought about using political contradictions.
Intelligence agencies of any country should interact to prevent crimes such as international terrorism, crimes against humanity, drug trafficking, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, which requires cooperation, not confrontation.
Relations with the United States could develop even more actively. When the placement of the "Gansi" airbase was discussed, I proposed to consider the Batken region instead of the "Manas" airport. This could have significantly improved the situation in the region. Unfortunately, at that moment, the personal interests of certain individuals turned out to be more important than state interests.
If the base had been placed in Batken, this region could have become an important transport and logistics hub, which would undoubtedly contribute to its economic development. This could have prevented the well-known "Batken War," as extremists would not have dared to attack our country.
It is important that Kyrgyzstan continues to develop all directions of its foreign policy without opposing them to each other. This is not an attempt to "sit on several chairs," but a manifestation of mature pragmatism and responsibility towards its people.
The main principle remains: respect for all partners and prioritizing the national interests of Kyrgyzstan," Kulov concluded.
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