The signing of the Joint Statement on Strengthening Friendship and Good Neighborliness, Border Treaty and the Agreement on Bilateral Visa Free Travels were notable outcomes of the talks between Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe yestreday, the Uzbek President's press service said.
In addition, a solid package of 27 accords has been signed in the fields of trade, economy, investment, finance, transport and transit, agriculture, water and energy, taxes, customs, tourism, education and science, health, culture, interregional cooperation, in the field of security and countering crime.
In particular, accords have been signed on international road and air services, on cooperation in the activities of the Farhad dam, on financial cooperation, cooperation in the field of transit of military and special cargoes and the transportation of military contingents through the territories of the two countries, interregional cooperation, promotion and mutual protection of investments, cooperation in the field of security and the fight against crime, cooperation in the field of higher education and sciences, cooperation in the tourism sector, the activities of border representatives and others.
In particular the Program of Cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Agreement between the Tashkent city and Dushanbe city mayors' offices on trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, Agreement on military cooperation between the defense departments, Agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Tajikistan, Agreement on cooperation between the State Committee for Architecture and Construction of Uzbekistan and the Committee on Architecture and Construction under the President of Tajikistan, Agreement on agrarian cooperation between the ministries of agriculture, Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Research of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan were signed between the two countries.
At a news conference, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Emomali Rahmon expressed satisfaction with the talks and noted that they were held in a trustful, friendly and constructive atmosphere.
"We discussed the ways to strengthen the Uzbek-Tajik ties in the political, trade-economic, transport-communication, energy and other priority areas. As a result, today important accords were signed," said the President of Uzbekistan.
"Today's historic agreements are of great importance not only for our peoples, but for the entire region," he added said. Agreement on Bilateral Visa Free Travels stipulates that citizens of the two states can enter, leave, transit and temporarily stay in the territory of a neighboring country without visas for up to 30 days.
Earlier it was reported that the parties considered the possibility of elevating the Uzbek-Tajik trade turnover to US$ 500 million per year. Following the talks between the heads of state and the dialogue between businesses, the sides set a goal to bring this value up to US$ 1 billion.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that there are no unresolved issues left between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. This opinion was supported by Emomali Rahmon.
The sides confirmed mutual aspiration and resolute attitude to strengthen Uzbek-Tajik relations on the basis of mutual trust, friendship and good-neighborliness.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit to Tajikistan is the first ever state visit of an Uzbek president to this country.
