Photo: Press Service of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 18. Kyrgyzstan and Iraq discussed the development of cooperation in the field of international road transport.

This was reported in a statement issued by the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan following a meeting on September 17 between Deputy Minister Kubanychbek Turganbaev and Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Iraq in Kazakhstan Jaber Al-Tamimi.

"During the meeting, the parties discussed issues related to the development of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Iraq in the field of international road transport," the statement said.

As noted, Kyrgyzstan and Iraq currently do not have a bilateral agreement regulating international road transport.

In this regard, the Kyrgyz side prepared a draft of the relevant agreement and sent it to the Iraqi side for consideration.

The parties also considered opportunities to develop international transport routes connecting Kyrgyzstan and Iraq through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran.

Particular attention was paid to visa-related issues. Kyrgyz citizens currently obtain Iraqi visas in Astana. In view of the complexity of the visa procedure and the single-entry nature of the visas, the Kyrgyz side proposed considering the possibility of issuing one-year multiple-entry driver visas to international freight carriers.

Following the meeting, the parties expressed readiness to intensify cooperation in the transport sector, expand international freight transportation and jointly develop practical steps in the relevant areas.