BISHKEK, October 10. /TASS/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov that he would not be able to attend the upcoming meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Bishkek on Friday, the Kyrgyz presidential office reported.

"President Sadyr Japarov has held a telephone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. <...> The Armenian premier announced with regret that, due to a number of reasons, he would not be able to take part in the meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council," the office said in a statement.

The telephone call was initiated by Armenia, the Kyrgyz presidential office added. In it, the two leaders discussed bilateral issues as they "agreed to maintain permanent communication and boost the bilateral relationship."

Armenian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ani Badalyan announced earlier that an Armenian deputy foreign minister would represent Yerevan at a regular meeting of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council in Bishkek on Thursday instead of Armenia’s top diplomat. The Armenian side denied the possibility of holding a meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the October 12 event.

At the coming meeting on October 13, the CIS leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including economic cooperation.