Uzbek leader Islam Karimov arrives in Kazakhstan

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has arrived in Astana on an official visit today, 25 November, Tengrinews reports citing the press service of Akorda.

He met with Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, and the two discussed implementation of agreements reached during the Kazakh President’s visit to Uzbekistan in June 2013.

Also discussed were the priority areas of bilateral cooperation in trade and economy, water and energy, transport, cultural and humanitarian realms. The sides touched upon key aspects of regional security and issues on the international scene.

Nazarbayev noted that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were close countries in historical and cultural sense.

“Being neighbors, after independence we have built our relations in the right manner. Kazakhstan supports Uzbekistan in all its endeavors. We intend to strengthen friendship between the two countries, expand trade, develop relationships, including those related to internal and external security, and cooperate in all other directions. Our negotiations are closely followed in our countries now because stability and development of the entire region depends on the stance and the cooperation of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan," President of Kazakhstan said.

On his part, President of Uzbekistan Karimov stressed the constantly changing situation in the world and noted the importance of relations with Kazakhstan amid these changes.

“In such circumstances every country is looking for support, corrects its plans and relies on its close neighbors. For us, Kazakhstan is the closest country, a close nation, which has always been with us both through trials and joyful days. We have always resorted to asking help of each other,” Karimov said.

“I would like to express my very great respect for the Kazakh people moving confidently towards prosperity. We need to meet more often in order to 'compare notes' and jointly determine future prospects,” Uzbek President continued.

Nazarbayev said that Uzbekistan was Kazakhstan’s big trading partner in the Central Asian region and the trade turnover between the countries grew in spite of the negative developments at the world market. He thanked Uzbekistan for supporting Kazakhstan’s bid to host EXPO-2017 in Astana.

Karimov said that his visit was a logical continuation of the meeting of the heads of state last year in Tashkent.

He said that signing the agreement on strategic partnership last year he did not pay serious attention to it. But now he was convinced that the agreement was highly welcome especially in light of the recent developments in the world.

He noted that the agreement was the result of political sagacity of Nazarbayev and his ability to see into the future.

Uzbek President also said that Uzbekistan welcomed the active foreign policies of Kazakhstan and Nazarbayev’s initiatives aimed at strengthening regional and international security, increasing the status and role of his country internationally.
 
By Dinara Urazova