Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan to increase trade turnover

Uzbek President Islam Karimov stressed that his meeting with Nursultan Nazarbayev was very important, Tengrinews reports.

“I can clearly say that our meeting, the talks we had yesterday and today with Nursultan Nazarbayev were, of course, very carefully watched by very many countries. But first of all they were followed very carefully by our people - Kazakhs and Uzbeks. First of all I want to say that they are very happy when we find a common understanding on very serious matters," Karimov said at a briefing after the talks.

Karimov informed that the parties confirmed a common position with regard to the construction of new hydraulic structures in the upper reaches of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers. And assured that it would be carried out strictly in accordance with the universally recognized norms of international law and the UN Convention, and coordinated with all the countries located in the lower reaches of these rivers.

The Uzbek President said that the meeting between the two Central Asian leaders was particularly important at a time when the situation in the world was quite troublesome and tensions only grew.

Karimov spoke about the opening in Tashkent of a monument to Abai, a prominent Kazakh poet regarded as the father of modern written Kazakh literature.

“It [the monument] looks upon us and asks: “Friends, what do you do to for the peoples of Kazakhstan, primarily Kazakhs and Uzbeks to feel secure?” he said addressing journalists.

Applause followed but he disregarded them and said support was needed, not applause.

Karimov expressed his opinion that the two countries had substantial capacities to ensure sustainable growth of both mutual trade and individual economies.

"Together with Nursultan Nazarbayev we have come to a consensus: it is necessary to re-examine all the capacities, and to use the opportunities that are still not being used," Karimov said.

President of Kazakshtan Nursultan Nazarbayev also said it was possible to step up the mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

Noting that Uzbekistan was Kazakhstan’s leading trade and economic partner in Central Asia, Nazarbayev said that the economic potential of this cooperation was still not used to its fullest.

"Despite the negative trends in the world economy and the fall of prices on basic products, the trade turnover between our countries is growing. At the same time I believe that our countries have not yet fully exploited the economic potential. Given the fact that the product line is narrow, the Intergovernmental Commission and our governments need to work on increasing the trade volumes," Nazarbayev said.

Kazakhstan's President expressed confidence that the results of Karimov’s visit would bring relations between the two countries to a new level of strategic partnership.

Reporting by Renat Tashkinbayev, writing by Dinara Urazova