Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 3 May, at a meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh, deputies considered and adopted a draft law on ratification of the Protocol on Amendments to the Agreement between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan on mutual trips of citizens dated 3 October 2006, signed on 27 January 2023 in Bishkek in three readings.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Almaz Imangaziyev noted that the Protocol on Amendments to the above Agreement by the parties provides for updating the List of documents of citizens for entry, exit, transit, movement and stay on the territory of the two states. According to him, the need for changes is due to the introduction and use of biometric passports by the states of the parties to the Agreement. The ratification of the Protocol will create favorable conditions for mutual trips of citizens of the two states, since it provides for the use of an ID card as a travel document for entry, exit, transit, movement and stay on the territory of the states parties to the Agreement. During the discussion, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeenbek Kulubayev answered the deputies' questions.

Deputy Emil Toktoshev clarified a number of questions about the procedure and terms of stay of citizens of Uzbekistan in Kyrgyzstan, the use of an ID card for mutual trips of citizens of the two states. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic replied that a visa-free regime was established for citizens of Uzbekistan for up to 60 days.

Deputy Ulugbek Ormonov raised the issue of the need to control the entry / exit of foreign citizens. Deputy Nurzhigit Kadyrbekov raised the issue of the rating of passport indices, the place occupied by the passport of Kyrgyzstan. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic replied that the passport of Kyrgyzstan occupies 80th place in the rating. MP Nadira Narmatova raised the issue of ethnic Kyrgyz who arrived from Uzbekistan.