Kyrgyz Parliament Delegation Ends Visit To Kuwait.

BISHKEK. Yesterday a Kyrgyz Parliament delegation led by the speaker of the Legislative Assembly (lower chamber) of the Kyrgyz parliament, Abdygany Erkebayev, returned to Bishkek from Kuwait. Alisher Abdymomunov, head of the international relations committee of the Legislative Assembly, said in an interview with RFE/RL today, that the delegation's trip was fruitful. The Kyrgyz parliamentarians met with the speaker of the Kuwait parliament, Jasim al-Harari, the Foreign Minister, Shaikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber and other officials. They discussed the ways of improving inter-parliamentarian and inter-governmental ties between the two countries. It was agreed that the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Askar Aitmatov will visit Kuwait in the nearest future. He is expected to prepare an official visit by the Kyrgyz President, Askar Akayev, during his trip to Kuwait.
Also the Kyrgyz parliament delegation discussed with the Kuwaiti counterparts the Iraq issue. The Kuwaiti side emphasized importance of the political means to resolve the crisis, said Abdymomunov.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Askar Aitmatov said yesterday that the forces of the international anti-terrorist coalition stationed in Kyrgyzstan will not engage in any possible military operation against Iraq. Commenting on the situation surrounding Iraq, A. Aitmatov said Kyrgyzstan calls for settlement of the issue "in a diplomatic way, by negotiations of all concerned sides". A delegation of the Kuwait National Assembly, led by Dr. Ahmad Abdullah al-Rabi, the Chairman of the Friendship group of the Parliament, had visited Kyrgyzstan on October 7-8, 2002. An agreement on co-operation between the Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyz parliament and the Kuwait National Assembly was signed during the meeting.