President of Uzbekistan receives first vice chairman of Russian government

November 28, 2007

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received first vice chairman of the government of Russia Sergey Ivanov at Oqsaroy residence in Tashkent on 28 November, 2007.

Welcoming the Russian official, the head of the state said cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia was developing in line with the Allied relations treaty signed in 2005.

Mutual respect and trust of the heads of two states, as well as commonness of views on issues of cooperation, security and many international problems, play a great role in development of Uzbek-Russian relations.

Russia accounts for more than 30% of the total foreign trade of Uzbekistan today. Export and import covers machinery and equipment, energy, black and ferrous metals, cotton fiber, plastics, wood, food items and other goods. Mutual turnover in 2006 exceeded USD 3 billion. Last year, Russia bought more than 1 million tons of agricultural produce from Uzbekistan.

More than 500 joint ventures created in partnership with Russian investors operate in Uzbekistan, and 284 joint enterprises set up with Uzbek capital function in Russia. Cooperation covers fields like trade, energy, mining, metallurgy, insurance, finance, food, pharmaceutical and wood processing sectors.

Relations in machinery and aircraft building are also expanding. Cooperation in telecommunications and software, production of chemicals and construction materials, textile and tourism has a high potential. A number of regions of Uzbekistan and subjects of Russia have established direct contacts.

Cooperation in humanitarian sphere covers culture and arts, healthcare, science and technologies. Branches of the Russian Plekhanov Economic Academy, Moscow State University and Russian State Oil and Gas University function in Uzbekistan.

Uzbek-Russian intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation holds regular sessions to discuss new opportunities to expand ties and determines priority directions.

In July, first vice chairman of the Russian government Sergey Ivanov visited Uzbekistan for the first time as a co-chairman of the Russian-Uzbek intergovernmental commission.

At the joint commission’s session that took place on 28 November and the economic forum “Uzbekistan-Russia: strategic cooperation”, perspectives of development of relations were considered. A particular attention was paid to increasing the volume of turnover, the number of joint ventures and the types of manufactured products.

At the meeting with President of Uzbekistan, Sergey Ivanov said Russia highly valued cooperation with Uzbekistan and partnership relations developing in all spheres.

The sides considered issues of development of cooperation between the two states and other issues of mutual interest.