Envoy: Turkish PM wants to visit Uzbekistan

Turkish envoy said that President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov and Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a meeting within the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. During the meeting, Erdogan expressed his wish to visit Uzbekistan in short time to Uzbek President Islam Karimov.

Namik Guner Erpul said that at the ceremony of handing over credentials to the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov called Turkish envoy to boost work on organization of the high level visits between two nations to develop bilateral relations.

Envoy said that Turkish people consider Uzbekistan as a country of ancestors and people of Uzbekistan as brother nation. He said that both nations have one language, religion, customs and values.

Diplomat said that at the ceremony of handing over credentials, President Islam Karimov noted that Turkish and Uzbek people are part of one single and it is impossible to separate them.

There is no doubt that close cooperation of Turkey and Uzbekistan, important countries in Eurasia, will meet interest of two nations and the region as a whole.

“Power and opulence of Uzbekistan is very important for Uzbek people and to ensure balance in Asia. Turkey as friend and brother pay great attention to stability, prosperity and development of Uzbekistan. In this context, it is worth to mention our intention to develop bilateral, regional and international cooperation with Uzbekistan based on mutual respect and equality,” the envoy said.

Namik Guner Erpul underlined that the first article of the agreement on eternal friendship and cooperation says that Turkey and Uzbekistan, which are friends and brothers, build their relations, based on cooperation and mutual trust. Turkey has firm resolution to develop relations with Uzbekistan in this context, he added.

Issues of combating extremism, terrorism and illegal turnover of narcotics are becoming important in ensuring trust and stability in Central Asia and Turkey is ready to cooperate with Uzbek brothers in this area, the envoy stated.

Turkey has firm resolution to build its relations with Uzbekistan on win-win principle. This desire was vowed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his meeting with Uzbek President Islam Karimov in the opening ceremony of Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, the Ambassador stated.

He said that Turkey believes that increasing number of bilateral visits in high level with Uzbekistan will be important milestone in bilateral ties and create concrete spheres of cooperation and serve as firm foundation for future ties.

He said that “our goal is to boost relations between two states and people via increasing dialogue with Uzbekistan in such spheres as politics, economy, art, culture and civil projects. He noted that both countries should focus on future and mutual interests.