06.12.2021

After the main events of the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan, a briefing was held for the media representatives.

The Presidents expressed satisfaction with the results of the talks, which took place in a traditionally open, confidential and business-like atmosphere.

During the talks, the whole range of issues of further developing the multifaceted, mutually beneficial cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in all areas of the bilateral and regional agenda was considered in detail.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev has once again congratulated the people of Kazakhstan on the 30th anniversary of independence.

It was highlighted that some tremendous changes have taken place in the relations between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan recently. These relations are based on friendship, good-neighborliness and strategic partnership.

The Leader of Uzbekistan noted that a historic decision has been made today – a cooperation has been raised to the level of allied relations, which fully meets the long-term interests of fraternal peoples.

«The cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan is based on the desire to use the enormous potential of complementarity. We intend to unite our efforts and find the new growth points», Shavkat Mirziyoyev has emphasized.

The satisfaction was expressed with the results of trade and economic partnership, which is a priority area of cooperation. Since the beginning of this year, the trade turnover has grown by almost 40%, and it is expected that a record high of $4 billion will be achieved. During the talks, the goal was defined to increase the trade turnover to 5 billion next year, and to bring it to 10 billion in the long term.

It was noted that in order to expand the supply of agricultural products, the parties agreed to create agricultural clusters, wholesale distribution and logistics centers, and to promote the «Agroexpress» project.

The importance of the agreements reached in the industrial cooperation and interregional collaboration was emphasized. There are some good examples – the assembly of cars, buses and agricultural machinery in Kostanay, the production of textile products and electrical equipment in Turkestan and Shymkent.

The joint projects are being implemented in Uzbekistan in the industry, energy, chemistry, construction, banking and other spheres. Following the business events held on the eve of the visit, the new investment and trade agreements for nearly $6 billion were signed.

«There have not been such indicators yet. And all of these are solid agreements that form a good basis for the future», Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

It is set to implement projects for the construction of the Uchquduq –Kyzylorda railroad and highway, as well as the Turkestan – Shymkent – Tashkent high-speed railroad to expand the potential of the transport and transit sector.

The parties agreed to actively promote «green energy» projects, jointly introduce the latest water-saving technologies, conduct joint forest plantations in the Aral Sea region and work with international donors.

The agreements in the spheres of culture, science and education, as well as healthcare and tourism were also noted.

«In the current difficult times, culture and spirituality are gaining even greater importance, having a beneficial effect on the minds and hearts of people, especially the youth», Shavkat Mirziyoyev has emphasized.

In this regard, during the talks, an agreement was reached on holding the Year of Uzbekistan in Kazakhstan and the Year of Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan regularly. The first Youth Congress and the Creative and Scientific Intellectuals Forum will be organized in Uzbekistan next year.

It was noted that more than 800 thousand ethnic Kazakhs currently live in Uzbekistan. All conditions are created for the development of their national culture, language and traditions. There are about 400 schools with the Kazakh language of instruction.

The Kazakh National Cultural Center, which has 8 regional branches, has been actively operating in Uzbekistan for 30 years.

«We are proud that among our fellow Kazakhs there are those awarded the high title of Hero of Uzbekistan and other state awards, senators and deputies, ministers and generals, heads of large companies», Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

The Heads of States agreed to adopt an appropriate program to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan next year.

Taking into account the interaction at regional and international platforms, the President of Uzbekistan has emphasized that today it can be to form an effective platform for Consultative Meetings of the Heads of the Central Asian States. As a part of this platform the ways of comprehensive development of our common house are determined.

A main attention at the talks was paid to countering the challenges to security and stability in the region, primarily against the background of the situation in neighboring Afghanistan. It was confirmed that the positions of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan completely coincide on this issue.

Uzbekistan supports the initiatives of Kazakhstan in the framework of its chairmanship at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, as well as in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Kazakhstan supports Uzbekistan’s chairmanship at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Economic Cooperation Organization.

«During this visit, we have signed a solid package of documents. The most important of them is the Declaration of Allied Relations, which testifies to the highest level of trust and partnership, readiness to act together and provide all-round support. We are firmly committed to strengthening the centuries-long friendship, good-neighborliness and large-scale cooperation for the prosperity of the two fraternal peoples», the President of Uzbekistan has said.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his satisfaction with the results of the talks, during which an exchange of views took place on a wide range of issues.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited the President of Kazakhstan to visit Uzbekistan at any time convenient for him.