28/03/11 - President of Uzbekistan receives Prime Minister of Pakistan

Дата публикации: Jan 15, 2012 12:26:57 PM

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov at the Oqsaroy March 24 met with Yousuf Raza Gilani, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, who has been on official visit in Uzbekistan.

Welcoming the guest, the head of our state said that Uzbek-Pakistani relations have been developing on principles of traditional friendship, mutual interest and respect.

Periodic meetings at the highest level are an important factor in the development of relations between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. The reached deals and signed agreements have facilitated to enhance the bilateral cooperation in political, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian realms.

It needs noting that Pakistan considers Uzbekistan an important partner that plays a considerable role in promoting peace and stability in the region. The parties support each other on pressing issues of regional and international significance.

As countries neighboring Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan display a particular interest in establishing peace and ensuring security in that country. That condition is to create an opportunity to set up direct transport routes and bolster economic ties between Uzbekistan and Pakistan.

Trade, economic and investment cooperation has been principal in the overall interaction between our countries. Uzbekistan’s ever increasing capacities, improving transport communications and international logistics centers, steadily modernizing industry, expanding opportunities in the energy sector have been crucial in stepping up economic and investment cooperation. The two countries are interested in developing and materializing joint region-wide projects in these areas. These aspects were placed a special emphasis during the March 17 Islamabad session of Uzbek-Pakistani intergovernmental commission on trade and economic, scientific and technological cooperation.

Cultural and humanitarian interaction has been developing, too. Centers for the study of Uzbek and Urdu operate in Pakistan and Uzbekistan, respectively. Scholars, artists and other humanities specialists from the two nations regularly attend academic conferences, festivals and other events held in Uzbekistan and Pakistan.

During the meeting at the Oqsaroy, Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed earnest gratitude to the head of our state for the warm welcome, and noted that Pakistan is interested in developing long-term and mutually advantageous ties with Uzbekistan, primarily in the trade, economic and investment front, UzA informs.

The current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation along with regional and international issues of mutual interest have been extensively discussed at the talks.