C5 + 1 Poised to take Leap Forward | United to Connect Asia, China with EU | Unified Toursit Visa
Tazeen Akhtar | Islamabad Diary
Mr. Aibek Tilebaliev, Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic has said that recent informal consultative meeting of the heads of states of Cenral Asia and Azerbaijan, hosted by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, His Excellency Sadyr Japarov, marked a historic transformation for this platform.
He shared the outcomes of the meeting held on 31 July 2026 in tourist place of Cholpan-Ata tourist zone, right on the shores of our beautiful Issyk-Kul Lake in the Kyrgyz Republic with Pakistani media on 11 Aug 2026 at the Embassy.
The Charge d’ Affaires also detailed on the stability and prosperity the Kyrgyz Republic is achieving after reforms with mitigating corruption and setting the nation on right path by the President. He proudly briefed the media about 11% growth in GDP of his country that is more than all regional states.
He said Kyrgyzstan is changed now. He invited businessmen and investors to visit his country where they will finde conducive environment and full support from governtment and society.
The defining feature of this summit was the official expansion of our format, as the Republic of Azerbaijan first time joined us as a full participant.
This diplomatic evolution comes at a time of unprecedented regional harmony. In recent years, Kyrgyzstan has achieved a major diplomatic breakthrough by fully resolving its long-standing border issues with both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
The legal framework for full border delimitation was formally agreed upon and signed by President Sadyr Japarov, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
To permanently lock in these achievements, the three leaders last year met for a historic trilateral summit in Khujand, Tajikistan and signed the landmark Treaty on the Junction Point of the State Borders and the “Khujand Declaration of Eternal Friendship.”
Today, the borders of Central Asia are no longer barriers; they have become bridges of friendship and gateways for trade.
As a unified bloc, our combined region represents a powerhouse of approximately 85 million people with a gross regional product crossing 600 billion dollars. We serve as a vital geostrategic bridge between Europe and Asia, holding an abundance of fossil fuels, critical minerals, and vast agricultural resources.
This growing global importance has led to the successful establishment of our “C5+1” dialogue platforms, where Central Asia acts as a unified front with major global partners including China, Russia, the United States, the European Union, Japan, Korea, and Italy.
Turning back to the specific outcomes of the Cholpon-Ata summit, I am glad to inform you that the meeting was personally attended by all Central Asian and Azerbaijan Heads of state.
Opening the summit, President Japarov noted that our regional cooperation has reached a qualitatively new level driven by mutual trust.
He expressed deep gratitude to the regional leaders for supporting the candidacy of the Kyrgyz Republic for the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term.
As you know, our country was successfully elected as a non-permanent member on June 3rd, 2026.
Taking this opportunity, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for standing firmly with us during the election process for this key United Nations body.
On the international stage, Kyrgyzstan intends to consistently promote the shared interests of Central Asia.
Our core priorities on the UN Security Council will focus on:
Strengthening trust among UN Member States to maintain the Council’s impartiality.
Improving UN peacebuilding operations.
Actively participating in global disarmament and non-proliferation efforts.
Championing the unique needs of Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States.
Our underlying goals will be to promote global peace by resolving conflicts through mediation and protecting women and children in conflict zones.
We will advocate for sustainable growth in the Global South—focusing on food and energy security—while supporting the stability and regional integration of Afghanistan.
Finally, we will champion multilateralism, push for necessary UN Security Council reforms.
Speaking on regional issues, President Japarov emphasized transport connectivity and energy cooperation.
He highlighted the strategic importance of constructing the “China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan” railway and advancing the Kambarata-1 Hydropower project alongside Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Generation Capacity: 1,860 Megawatts (MW) across four turbine units, capable of producing roughly 5.6 billion kWh annually—nearly half of Kyrgyzstan’s current total electricity supply.
Kyrgyzstan holds a 34% stake, while Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan each hold 33%.
Completion Target: Construction is slated to take roughly 6.5 years
Estimated Cost: The project is projected to cost around $6 billion.
“China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan” railway
Infrastructure: Construction is actively progressing on eight major bridges and four main tunnels.
The Route: The finished 532-kilometer line will run from Kashgar (China) through Torugart, Makmal, and Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan), ending in Andijan (Uzbekistan).
Once it starts running, this $4.7 billion corridor will act as a major shortcut, slashing cargo transit times between China and Europe by 7 to 10 days while completely bypassing sanctioned routes.
To boost our massive tourism potential, Kyrgyzstan also initiated a proposal to introduce a unified tourist visa for foreign citizens visiting Central Asian states.
Looking ahead, President Japarov highly praised Turkmenistan’s chairmanship in Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
He confirmed our full readiness to contribute to the successful hosting of the Eighth Consultative Meeting, which will officially take place on October 8th, 2026, in the Avaza National Tourist Zone in Turkmenistan.
Following highly productive discussions, the heads of state concluded the summit by signing the historic Cholpon-Ata Declaration.
Furthermore, running parallel to this summit, President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and President Aliyev of Azerbaijan paid official state visits to Kyrgyzstan.
These visits culminated in the signing of the Treaty on Allied Relations between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, as well as between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, elevating bilateral ties to the absolute highest level of strategic cooperation.
The two alliance treaties show that Kyrgyzstan is strengthening relations with its closest neighbor while simultaneously expanding cooperation across the Caspian and the South Caucasus.
My dear friends,
In summary, the Cholpon-Ata Summit marks a historic turning point for Central Asian geopolitics, yielding four critical outcomes that redefine the region’s strategic architecture:
By bridging the Caspian Sea, our nations now form a new strategic bloc stretching from the western borders of China directly to the gates of Europe. Thus linking the Caspian Sea to global corridors, the member states have significantly elevated their collective diplomatic leverage and bargaining power on the world stage.
The formal integration of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan (CKU) railway with the Middle Corridor and CPEC establishes a multi-modal transport network. This connectivity drastically reduces Eurasian transit times, standardizes cross-border tariffs, and unlocks massive foreign direct investment.
This partnership unlocks a highly integrated economic corridor by aggressively dismantling trade barriers and formalizing regional financial mechanisms.
It establishes a framework for co-financing large-scale energy, processing, and industrial projects through sovereign wealth synergies and targeted joint investment funds. This pooling of capital accelerates the development of special economic zones (SEZs) along the transit routes, driving sustainable economic growth.
Rather than serving as mere transit corridors, our nations should co-invest in localized value-added industries. This includes building modern oil and gas pipelines, expanding Caspian port capacities and establishing cross-border manufacturing hubs that allow us to transition from raw material exporters to manufacturers of high-value goods.
Finally, this historic step reinforces our deep, centuries-old cultural and linguistic ties, translating shared heritage into tangible economic returns.
The recent major events on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul—including the signing of alliance agreements with the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Uzbekistan,
the adoption of the Cholpon-Ata Declaration,
and the endorsement of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov’s initiative for a unified Central Asian tourist visa
—have positioned the Kyrgyz Republic as a key driver of regional connectivity.
These milestones reflect widespread recognition of Kyrgyzstan’s active role in fostering regional friendship, mutual respect, and trust.
Furthermore, they underscore the nation’s commitment to strengthening alliance and good-neighborly relations, while significantly contributing to regional stability and international security.
