The Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev arrived today in Samarkand on a working visit. According to the press-service of the Presidency of Kyrgyzstan, he will lay a wreath at the tomb of the first President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov.

On December 20-23 Beijing hosted the regular meeting of the Council of National Coordinators of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

On December 23 was held the extraordinary session of Samarkand region deputies council, in which the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev made a statement, the Presidency website said.

Ergash Shoismatov has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of UzTransGaz, which is part of UzbekNefteGaz holding, a statement of the company press service said.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on December 23 received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Yerlan Idrisov, who arrived in the country on a working visit.

President Mirziyoyev on 21 December signed a Decree "On opening of consulates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan in Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench, and Nukus and further improvement of services by the consulate in Termez",  the press service of the Tourism Development Committee (former UzbekTourism) said.

On December 23, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister, Abdulaziz Kamilov met with his Kazakh counterpart Yerlan Idrisov who arrived in Uzbekistan on a working visit, a statement of the Foreign Ministry said.

Tashkent mayor Rahmonbek Usmanov during his visit to Almaty met with his counterpart, Bauyrzhan Baibek. The two mayors discussed the issues of strengthening trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian relations, the akimat (mayor's office) of Almaty said.

The Uzbek Legislative Chamber at its meeting adopted a resolution to rename the Jizzakh district of Jizzakh region in honor of Sharof Rashidov.

On December 24, the Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev will pay a working visit to Uzbekistan. President Atambayev during his visit will discuss with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev all pressing issues, the head of the Foreign policy department under the President's Office, Sapar Isakov announced at a press conference.

On December 20, the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade hosted the talks with the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic in Uzbekistan, Andrea Bertozzi.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu in a congratulatory letter to the President of Uzbekistan invited Shavkat Mirziyoyev to visit his country.

On 20-21 December Tashkent hosted the regular ministerial consultations for inventory survey and improving the legal framework of relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a Decree "On regular draft of citizens of Uzbekistan for military service and release of soldiers who delivered the mandatory service to the Armed Forces reserve."

At the Dec 20 extraordinary session of the Trade Unions Federation Council, Qudratilla Rafiqov was elected as the new chairman of the Federation. The chairman Rafiqov previously served as General Director of Jizzakh Battery Plant, a statement of the press service of the Federation said.

The high level of relations between Uzbekistan and South Korea has laid a solid foundation for cooperation of postal companies of the two countries.

The aviation authorities of Uzbekistan and Ukraine are planning to hold talks in Tashkent on resumption of regular flights on Tashkent-Kiev route, Interfax-Ukraine said.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on 20 December signed a decree "On granting citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan". For the first time in many years the text of the decree has been openly published.

On December 20, the Central Election Commission Chairman M.Abdusalomov met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Uzbekistan, Pamela Spratlen.

The Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Idrisov will on December 22 arrive in Tashkent on a working visit< the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan said.