Presidents of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev today held head-to-head and between-delegations talks on December 22, the Uzbek presidency press service said.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev named Kazakhstan as Uzbekistan’s closest and most reliable partner. “Uzbeks and Kazakhs are not just close neighbors, but brothers sharing common historical heritage, cultural and spiritual values. This is our priceless wealth, and we have valued it and we will always value it. I am sure that we have a common destiny and future,” he stressed.
The two leaders considered the ways to expand the ties in political, trade, economic, energy, transport and logistics, agriculture, water and other areas. They also exchanged views on the regional and international agenda, including ensuring the stable development of Central Asia.
At the talks between the delegations, Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized significant progress in all areas of Uzbek-Kazakh cooperation and stated that two historical documents would be signed during the visit.
“I will especially note the Treaty of Alliance, which meets the primordial interests of both fraternal peoples and marks a new stage in the history of Uzbek-Kazakh ties,” he said. - Alliance is the highest and most trusting level of interstate partnership. Thus, we have confirmed that we intend to build a common future.”
“The agreement on the delienation of the state border testifies to the strength of our ties, serves the cause of peace and security in the region. Our border has always been and remains the border of friendship and good neighborliness,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.
The President of Kazakhstan noted that the signed agreements open up new horizons and fully reflect the mutual desire of the two countries for further rapprochement.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed gratitude to Shavkat Mirziyoyev "for his creative policy course and huge contribution to strengthening the Kazakh-Uzbek ties." He also expressed support for constitutional reform in Uzbekistan.
Areas for expanding cooperation
The parties called the economy the core of bilateral cooperation and agreed to make more efforts to make use of the whole potential of the two countries. In order to multiply the volume of the two-way trade in the coming years, an agreement was reached to form a working group headed by deputy PMs and create a joint foreign trade company.
Special attention is paid to cooperation projects. During the visit, major projects will be launched in energy, automotive, chemical, electrical, construction, logistics and other areas.
“I am sure that the project being developed by the International Center for Industrial Cooperation will become an important platform for generating new projects,” the Uzbek leader said.
He pointed to the need to maximize the use of the potential of interprovincial cooperation. At the business forum the day before, a package of investment agreements and trade contracts worth over $8 billion was signed.
Energy is another important area. The heads of state agreed to promote projects for the modernization and construction of energy facilities, geological exploration and deep processing of natural gas.
One of the key areas of interaction is the increase in transit potential. “Today we have reached a stable growth in freight traffic, agreed to mutually create favorable conditions for bilateral and transit traffic. In order to multiply the volume of transported goods, we agreed to accelerate projects aimed at expanding the transport infrastructure,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.
The presidents noted the importance of strengthening and expanding inter-parliamentary contacts and cultural and humanitarian exchanges. “It is necessary to use the potential of the Inter-Parliamentary Council to monitor the implementation of all agreements at the highest level,” the President of Uzbekistan said.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed gratitude for the decision to erect a monument to the great Uzbek poet and statesman Alisher Navoi in the center of Astana. “This is a clear confirmation of the great respect for our common history and culture, a symbol of the inviolability of the bonds of friendship between the two fraternal peoples,” he stressed.
The President of Uzbekistan proposed organizing joint research to study and popularize the common cultural and historical heritage, launching joint information resources for this purpose and publishing books by great writers and poets.
