Cesare De Montis: Political dialogue of EU not to change after Kyrgyzstan’s accession to CU

Political dialogue of the European Union won't change after Kyrgyzstan's accession to the Customs Union, the Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic Cesare De Montis said today at the briefing.

"I would like to have a crystal ball to answer this difficult question. We don't know how the integration of the Kyrgyz Republic in the CU will pass, but we can assume some scenarios. It is clear that Kyrgyzstan is interested only in the economic field, but not in political one. Nothing will change with regard to cooperation with the EU political dialogue. This will remain unchanged. We are an economic partner of the Kyrgyz Republic, we have trade flows, and we are very interested in the development, rather than cutting. We would like to ensure that the accession of the Kyrgyz Republic to the CU won't have negative consequences for our trade flows. We have received assurances from the Kyrgyz authorities that they will respect the obligations coming from membership in the WTO," Cesare De Montis said.

"Joining the CU, the KR will have an overall approach to investments with other members of the CU. This implies that there will ne no more discussion of bilateral trade, because by definition it won't be a sovereign national decision. We will have to address these issues with all members of the Customs Union. Therefore, the need to find ways of discussion at a high level," the ambassador said.

According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral relations between Kyrgyzstan and the EU initially developed on the basis of the Agreement between the European Communities and the USSR on trade and commercial and economic cooperation on December 18, 1989. In 1993, the Kyrgyz Republic has become one of the first countries of the CIS (after Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus), with which the EU started negotiations on the conclusion of the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (signed in 1995, entered into force in 1999). Over the years there were three visits at the level of heads of state of the Kyrgyz Republic to the EU - in 1994, 2011 and 2013.

From March 22 to April 1, a tour of the Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev in a number of European countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany) will take place.