Delegation of the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan, headed by the Chairman of the International Affairs Committee Chingiz Aidarbekov, met with the Chairman of the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan Mustafa Shentop. Press service of the Parliament reported.
The parties discussed the state and development of political, economic, cultural and humanitarian relations between the two countries, expressed interest in continuing joint projects and in bringing the volume of mutual trade to $1 billion.
In turn, the Embassy of Turkey in the Kyrgyz Republic released Mustafa Shentop’s statement on FETO during this meeting. According to the message of the diplomatic mission, he noted that «he considers it his duty to warn friendly and fraternal countries about this threat.»
Turkish authorities blame U.S.-based preacher Fethullah Gülen and his Hizmet movement for the 2016 coup attempt. The organization is called FETO in Turkey and recognized as a terrorist one, thousands of its supporters have been detained. Fethullah Gülen himself denies all accusations.
Turkey believes that the network of Sebat educational institutions in Kyrgyzstan is related to FETO. In 2016, the Turkish authorities urged Kyrgyzstan to close this network of schools, but official Bishkek rejected this demand. In 2017, this network was re-registered as a local organization and received a new name — Sapat.
On May 31, Manas University hosted a seminar «Fethullah’s Terrorist Organization. Parallel Public Education». Activist Gulzhigit Isakov, in connection with this event, appealed to the Foreign Ministry with a request to take action against the university, saying that «the university has gone beyond the educational institution, denigrating an organization that is not recognized as a terrorist organization in the world.»
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic promised to conduct an internal investigation, stating that «the university should not turn into a tool for political insinuations by certain forces.»
