BISHKEK -- The chief of the Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK), Oleg Dobrodeev, has praised Kyrgyzstan for "cherishing the Russian language and culture," RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.
Dobrodeev is meeting with Kyrgyz leaders in Bishkek to boost cooperation between Kyrgyzstan's Television and Radio Company and VGTRK.
Dobrodeev said after meeting with President Kurmanbek Bakiev that he is "very pleased" that VGTRK's television channels are broadcast in Kyrgyzstan.
He added that he does not know any other former Soviet republic where the Russian language and culture are so respected.
Both the Russian and Kyrgyz languages have the status of official languages in Kyrgyzstan, where many Kyrgyz prefer to speak Russian.