PM Yıldırım, Kyrgyz counterpart meet in Ankara, discuss Gülenist terror

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım hosted his Kyrgyz counterpart Sooronbay Jeenbekov on Tuesday in the capital Ankara.

Reports suggested that the meeting emphasized on the significance of the two country's alliance and focused mainly on the Gülenist Terror Group's (FETÖ) presence in Kyrgyzstan.

According to a statement issued by the prime minister's office, the two leaders met in the Çankaya Palace Tuesday evening where Turkey reiterated that the presence of FETÖ in Kyrgyzstan should not overshadow their bilateral relationship and urged Kyrgyz authorities to cooperate in this regard.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people dead and over 2,200 injured. It is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

The terrorist group, which long posed as a religious charity movement to attract followers, managed to garner following across the world and established a global network of schools and companies in all continents, spanning from the far corners of Africa all the way to California in the U.S.

In response to Turkey's requests, Kyrgyz authorities expressed their willingness to pursue the terrorist group [SS1] and strengthen its friendship with Turkey.

Turkey was the first country to recognize the Turkic states, including Kyrgyzstan, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Turkey has since maintained a warm relationship with the Turkic states through political ties and high-level mechanisms. One of these mechanisms is the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Councils with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.

Moreover, Turkey has several state institutions, such as the Presidency of Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) that work in and with the Turkic states. The two countries also share several universities like the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University in Bishkek.