Kyrgyzstan should strengthen relations with Uzbekistan

Kyrgyzstan should strengthen relations with Uzbekistan, the political scientist Mars Sariev said today at a roundtable discussion.

According to him, the environment of Kyrgyzstan has changed. There were rough spots with Kazakhstan, but relations are settled. Great changes have taken place with Uzbekistan.

«If we work in the framework of Central Asia, where Afghanistan is a threat, this is one strategy. If we look from a different perspective and treat Afghanistan as a potential market, this is a different strategy. Uzbekistan offers us great prospects. They have an interest in the joint production of cars, household appliances,» Mars Sariev said.

He added that if Kyrgyzstan closely cooperates with Uzbekistan, industry will appear in the republic.

«Joint enterprises will solve the issue of employment of the population, religious extremism. The region needs to look wider. Afghanistan should become a zone of peace and prosperity. Kyrgyzstan is interested in this,» Mars Sariev said.