Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 26 May, the first video conference was held between the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Saudi Center for Islamic Research named after King Faisal on the topic: "New Uzbekistan - new foreign policy".

Representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Riyadh, scientific and business circles of Saudi Arabia took part in the event from the Saudi side, along with experts from the Center for Islamic Studies.

Leading experts from IISM, MICA, UWED presented their reports on various issues of relations between Central Asia and the Middle East, as well as the prospects for Uzbekistan’s cooperation with Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, who brought to the participants the main provisions and priorities of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy in Central Asia, Afghanistan , in the Middle East direction.

The meeting touched upon promising areas for further expansion of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia, ongoing reforms and transformations in the two countries, as well as a range of practical issues of bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and security.

In this context, Deputy Director of ISMI S. Valiyev noted that Saudi Arabia is the largest Arab economy with a huge resource, investment and trade and economic potential, while Uzbekistan is an example of a fast-growing market, where the investment and business climate is rapidly improving. He also stressed that the videoconference between Uzbek and Saudi experts is a relevant and demanded event and serves to search for additional ways to expand bilateral cooperation. Bringing Uzbek-Saudi relations to a qualitatively new level can initiate a new stage of cooperation between the regions of Central Asia and the Middle East, he said.

Supporting this opinion, the head of the Asian research unit of the King Faisal Center for Islamic Studies Muhammad al-Sudeiri said that in light of the approaching 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Saudi side pays significant attention to expanding and improving the quality of the Kingdom’s ties with Uzbekistan.

Measures are also being taken to establish cooperation between the think tanks of the two countries. Today, the King Faisal Center for Islamic Research cooperates with several Uzbek scientific centers, including the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent. As Muhammad al Sudeiri noted, the peoples of our countries are linked by deep historical and spiritual roots, and the Islamic civilization brings them closer. In KSA are located the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and in Uzbekistan - Bukhara, Samarkand, Margilan, Kokand, Termez, where the outstanding Islamic scholars Beruniy, al Bukhariy, Matriudiy, Farabi, Ibn-Sina were born and worked.

Such historical roots currently serve as a solid foundation for expanding and strengthening mutually beneficial relations in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.