President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has been on official visit in Russia, April 19-20, at the invitation of President Dmitriy Medvedev.

Major part of events started in the Kremlin on April 20 with the meeting of Islam Karimov and Dmitriy Medvedev in tet-a-tet format. During the talks, the sides exchanged views on advancement of Uzbek-Russian relations, expansion of cooperation in the framework of international organizations, on regional and international issues of common interest, including the mitigation and overcoming the global financial and economic downturn.

Interaction with Russia in Uzbekistan’s foreign policy, as well as relations with Uzbekistan in Russia’s foreign policy, is of particular magnitude. Contemporary cooperation is premised on Strategic Partnership Treaty between the two nations signed in 2004, and the one on Allied Relations reached in 2005.

Delegations of various levels have frequently been exchanged. The regular Uzbek-Russian intergovernmental joint commission convened this past March.

Ministries of foreign affairs, external trade, and defense of the two countries regularly hold mutual negotiations and consultations.

Uzbekistan and Russia actively interact in the framework of international and regional organizations such as the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Commonwealth of Independent States. These ties serve to bolster the security and stability in the area, and promote regional integration processes. The two nations cooperate also in efforts to help stabilize the situation in Afghanistan.

During the talks, Islam Karimov and Dmitriy Medvedev focused on the development of trade and economic as well as humanitarian cooperation. Russia is Uzbekistan’s reliable political, economic and investment partner. One fifths of Uzbek foreign trade accounts for the Russian Federation. Extensive contacts are established in the sphere of humanitarian cooperation that covers public and higher education, culture, healthcare, travel industry and other areas.

Similarity and harmony of views and positions of the two Presidents with regard to ways of advancing the mutual relations, on regional and international issues, as well as the friendship between our peoples are key to enhancing the cooperation. The relations are premised on 276 agreements at different levels.

Issues concerning rational use of water and energy resources in Central Asia have been discussed during the meeting. The leaders insisted that construction of hydroelectric stations on trans-border rivers of the region be coordinated with neighboring countries and that such projects be subject to an independent international expert assessment.

Presidents Karimov and Medvedev continued negotiations in an expanded format with the participation of official delegations of Uzbekistan and Russia.

The ongoing global economic slowdown notwithstanding, the volume of bilateral trade amounted to nearly 4,5 billion U.S. dollars in 2009. Uzbekistan’s export to Russia includes natural gas, agricultural products, transport and communication services, vehicles, textiles. Cars produced in Uzbekistan have enjoyed a decent demand in Russia. This fact underscores the growing share of competitive industrial products with high added value in foreign trade. Uzbekistan imports non-ferrous and ferrous metals, mechanical and electrical equipment, wood and woodworking products from Russia.

The increasing number of Uzbek-Russian joint ventures backs the argument in favor of dynamic growth in investment cooperation. In particular, 843 such enterprises operate currently in Uzbekistan. In addition, 135 Russian companies opened their offices in the country. In Russia, 385 joint businesses are created with Uzbek partners.

Presidents Karimov and Medvedev agreed that the above-mentioned figures hardly reflect the full capacities of the two nations. Uzbekistan and Russia boast enormous potential for further expansion of trade-economic and investment cooperation. There exists an ample room for interaction among companies from the two countries in a number of industries of the manufacturing sector.

In addition, further expansion of cooperation in cultural and humanitarian spheres has been examined in the course of negotiations. Interactions have been fruitful also in the area of public and higher education, healthcare, science and technologies.

In October 2009, Uzbekturizm national company and Russia’s Tourist Corporation inked an interagency agreement intended to uphold interaction in travel industry. The document provides for an extensive involvement of Uzbekistan’s tourist potential in Russia and the increased flow of travelers.

Presidents of Uzbekistan and Russia signed a joint statement.

Agreements penned include the memorandum of mutual understanding in the promotion of the program of activities in the sphere of military-technical cooperation for 2010-2012 between the two governments; protocol on the organization of experiment on mutual preliminary report between the State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan and the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation; and program of cooperation in cultural and humanitarian sphere for 2010-2012.

At a meeting with mass media, the two leaders stressed that the talks passed in open and friendly atmosphere and that the deals reached would facilitate progress in bilateral relations.

“The visit constitutes a good chance to single out new priorities for advancing the mutual interaction, for reinvigorating the unrealized potential to a full extent, - Islam Karimov suggested. - Uzbekistan highly appreciates its ties with Russia. These relations serve the interests of the two nations and help consolidate security and stability in Central Asia as a whole”.

“The talks have confirmed that both Russia and Uzbekistan are interested in an extensive growth in cooperation, - Dmitriy Medvedev held. - We have exchanged views on economic issues. We agreed to keep on with all-embracing interaction in energy, aviation, engineering, telecommunications and many other areas. The visit is going to help further reinforce the principal dimensions of cooperation and reveal its new capacities”.

President Islam Karimov met with head of Russian government Vladimir Putin. Encouragement of trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation as well as other issues of common interest has been discussed at the meeting with prime minister.

Analysts suggest there is every reason to believe that the visit has reiterated the interest of the parties in enlarging the scope of interaction, in exploring new prospects for cooperation.