MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. Russia and Kyrgyzstan are strategic allies, and the peoples of the two countries are bound by common values and history, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said on Monday.

"Today, the Russian Federation and the Kyrgyz Republic are not just partners, but real strategic allies. Projects in the economy and humanitarian sphere are actively developing between our countries both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union," the speaker said at the plenary session of the Russian-Kyrgyz women's forum ‘Dialogue of Women of Kyrgyzstan and Russia for the Sake of the Future’.

She praised the countries’ leaders Vladimir Putin and Sadyr Zhaparov, "who always advocate the development of a full-scale and mutually beneficial Russia-Kyrgyzstan cooperation". Matviyenko also underlined that parliaments of the two countries cooperated productively. She recalled that the Agreement on Inter-parliamentary Cooperation and the bilateral Parliamentary Commission were in effect. Matviyenko also pointed out that a delegation headed by Nurlanbek Shakiev, Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh (unicameral parliament of Kyrgyzstan), was to visit Russia this year.

"But the most important thing is that the peoples of Russia and Kyrgyzstan are bound together by millions of threads of human destinies. We are connected by a common history, common values," Matviyenko stressed.

According to her, another thing that Russia and Kyrgyzstan have in common is traditional respectful attitude to women and active role of women in the life of society. "Today's forum is another step to bring women's communities of Russia and Kyrgyzstan closer together, to openly exchange opinions, ideas and experience. <...> Representatives of the Kyrgyz Republic actively participate in the Eurasian Women's Forum. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the Fourth Eurasian Women's Forum, the preparations for which have already begun. It will be held next year," the Russian Federation Council Speaker said.