President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov held talks in Tashkent, the Uzbek Presidency website said.
The main events within the framework of the official visit of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic were held at Kuksaroy residence of. After the official welcoming ceremony, the heads of state hold talks in a narrow format.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev cordially congratulated Sooronbai Jeenbekov on his election as the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and expressed his confidence that today's talks will elevate bilateral Uzbek-Kyrgyz relations to a new level.
The political will of the two leaders, mutual understanding in many issues and the common desire for cooperation contribute to the strengthening of bilateral ties.
- We highly value that You, as the President of Kyrgyzstan, paid one of the first foreign visits to Uzbekistan. We consider this as the evidence of your commitment to deepening friendship, good-neighborliness and strategic partnership ties between our countries," Mirziyoyev said.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov thanked Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the invitation to visit Uzbekistan and expressed deep respect of the people of Kyrgyzstan.
"You have turned the state border between our countries into the border of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation," said the President of Kyrgyzstan.
The two leaders noted that this visit is a good opportunity to discuss the ways to boost trade-economic, transport, communication and cultural-humanitarian cooperation, delimitation of borders, opening of new checkpoints and ensuring their effective operation, rational use of water resources.
The counterparts also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, and noted the existence of huge potential for continuing and strengthening bilateral cooperation in the international arena and expressed a mutual desire to further develop cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan within the framework of the UN, CIS, SCO, OIC and other international structures.
During the talks, President Sooronbai Jeenbekov reiterated Kyrgyzstan's support for the initiative of the Republic of Uzbekistan to hold regular consultative meetings of the leaders of Central Asian countries.
Afterwards the two leaders continued extended talks with the participation of official delegations.
The main attention was paid to further advancing political, trade-economic, transport, banking and financial, scientific and technical, cultural, humanitarian and interregional cooperation, strengthening ties in industry, agriculture and water management, tourism and other fields.
An important role in the development of bilateral trade and economic ties is played by the Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. The prime ministers of the two countries are co-chairmen of the commission, which indicates the high attention of the parties to mutual cooperation.
Since recently, the two-way trade volume has been growing rapidly. In January-November alone of this year, the two-way trade increased by 56% and hit US$ 235 million, however, this does not match the true potential of the two countries, the sides noted.
The counterparts underscored that the cooperation in the field of transport, development of transit corridors, ensuring the shortest and most effective access to foreign markets is of strategic importance, and emphasized that the swift completion of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which would enhance the transit potential of Central Asia, is in the vital interest of the countries in the region.
A high assessment was given to the test international automobile run held from October 30 and November 3, 2017 along Tashkent-Andijan-Osh-Irkeshtam-Kashgar route.
The sides also discussed the issues of development of cooperation in the water issues and power, and agreed to establish a Joint Bilateral Water Commission and hold its meeting in the near future in order to settle the problems.
When discussing issues of people-to-people communications, the sides noted that the peoples of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan share common traditions, culture and values. We have one language, religion, history and heritage.
