The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held the delegation-level talks with the participation of delegations from the two countries.
Opening the meeting, the President has noted that Azerbaijan is a close friend and long-term reliable strategic partner of Uzbekistan. The two countries share a common religion, spiritual values, similar traditions, language and culture.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed deep satisfaction with the achieved level of the mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthening ties of friendship and understanding between our countries. He has reaffirmed commitment to further deepening the Uzbek-Azerbaijani strategic partnership and filling it with new practical substance.
The Leader of Uzbekistan has noted that it is necessary to tap the existing huge potential of cooperation, as well as to exploit complementarities of the economies of the two countries.
In particular, the two economies are proposed to increase the volume of mutual trade, expand industrial cooperation, implement a number of projects in engineering, electrical, textile, wine, food, construction, oil and gas, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, agro-industrial and other industries. The agreement has been reached on the establishment of a joint Investment Fund to develop and promote promising cooperative projects in the two countries.
The importance of the implementation of joint projects in the free economic zones located in the territories of the two countries for the export of products to the markets of third countries was also noted.
In this context, the measures to increase efficiency using the system of transport communications, including the railway «Baku – Tbilisi – Kars» will also be agreed. An ad hoc working group shall be established under the leadership of the Ministers of Transport to address the impediments to bilateral trade and transit of goods in a timely manner.
Another promising area of cooperation is agriculture. Pointing to the opportunities available here, the relevant ministers were instructed to agree on a «road map» for the creation of a silk cluster, the promotion of projects in the cotton growing, the introduction of innovative developments.
The direct interregional ties play an important role in expanding multifaceted cooperation. The parties agreed that in the near future the capitals and major cities of the two countries shall establish partnership relations. The Leader of Uzbekistan has proposed to hold the first Forum of Regions and an exhibition of their industrial potential in Tashkent this year.
It was noted that the expansion of cooperation in the field of tourism will also serve to further strengthen business and humanitarian ties. The Presidents supported the adoption of a separate program and the holding of a joint tourism fair.
During the talks, a number of other agreements were reached aimed at strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties, in particular the holding of Days of Culture and Cinema, strengthening contacts between universities, scientific institutions, sports and youth organizations.