Kyrgyz parliament speaker greets Turkish official on new post

By Nazir Aliyev Tayfur

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AA) – Kyrgyzstan’s parliament speaker Talant Mamytov on Friday met and congratulated Mehmet Sureyya Er, a Turkish official recently appointed as secretary general of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-speaking Countries (TURKPA).

“As an experienced diplomat, we sincerely hope that you will make a significant contribution to strengthening parliamentary relations between TURKPA member states,” Mamytov told Er, who is Turkey's former ambassador to Tashkent, according to a statement.

The two also discussed relations between Turkish-speaking countries, and the strengthening of inter-parliamentary ties within the framework of TURKPA.

Meanwhile, Er was also received by Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbayev.

Er told Kazakbayev about the activities planned for 2022, including preparations for the 11th General Assembly Meeting of TURKPA in Kyrgyzstan.

Kazakbayev underlined the importance of expanding TURKPA with the participation of the parliaments of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Hungary, noting that Turkic states should continue to work to unlock the current potential of Turkish cooperation.

The 10th plenary session of TURKPA was held on Sept. 28, 2021 in Turkestan, the spiritual capital of the Turkic world.

TURKPA was established on Nov. 21, 2008 after an agreement between the heads of parliaments of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkiye.

* Writing by Merve Berker