The regular meeting of the Joint Uzbek-Turkmen commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation took place at the International Business Centre in Tashkent on 4 September 2012.

The event, organized by the Ministry of foreign economic relations, investments and trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, was devoted to the issues of further enhancement of Uzbek-Turkmen trade, economic, investment and cultural cooperation.

Representatives of ministries and agencies, firms and companies of the two countries, operating in such spheres as foreign economic relations, trade, manufacture, fuel and energy industry, mechanical engineering, agriculture and water industry, health, customs, culture, environmental protection.

Minister of foreign economic relations, investments and trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, co-chairman of the commission Elyor Ganiev noted the consistent development of relations between our countries based on principles of mutual trust, respect, interest and good neighborhood. Agreements, reached during the meetings of the heads of the two countries serve as an important legal base for cooperation.

Our countries attach great importance to enhancing cooperation in trade and economic spheres. This is vividly illustrated in expansion of mutual trade. In the last four year the volume of mutual trade increased by more than four times. In the first half of this year it reached 197 mln US dollars.

The Uzbek-Turkmen joint commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation regularly hold meetings, devote constant attention to the issues of developing measures for utilizing available opportunities, opening and developing new directions of cooperation.

Holding of national exhibition of Turkmenistan in Tashkent, and a national exhibition of Uzbekistan in Ashgabat has become a good tradition.

It was noted that enlargement of the list of goods and services in mutual trade was required. This will serve to enhance mutually advantageous economic relations between enterprises and companies of the two counties, development of new efficient forms of cooperation. The issues of cultural and humanitarian cooperation were also on the agenda of the forum.

- We are pleased that the mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries is consistently developing in all spheres, – said minister for trade and foreign economic relations of Turkmenistan, co-chairman of the commission Bayar Abaev. After the independence of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan the legal base for mutual cooperation was strengthened. Currently we are implementing several joint projects. It is worth noting the consistent increase of trade between our countries.

Our relations in transport communications, transit, agriculture and water industry, cultural and humanitarian spheres are dynamically developing.

During the meetings the parties exchanged views on prospective directions of further development of trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation between our countries. The issues of further enhancing relations in areas such as trade, fuel and energy industry, agriculture and water industry, transport and transport communications, tourism and customs, as well as increasing the number of joint enterprises and volumes of trade, development and implementation of joint prospective projects were discussed. (Source: UzA news agency)