Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 24 December 2020, in the format of a videoconference, extended negotiations were held between Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov with Acting Prime Minister, First Vice Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Artem Novikov. The event was also attended by the heads of relevant ministries and departments, as well as heads of the border regions of the two countries.

The key topic of the agenda was the discussion of issues of intensifying bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, industrial cooperation, agriculture, transport communications and other areas within the framework of the previously formed joint thematic working groups.

During the meeting, reports were heard from the heads of ministries and departments of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on the work carried out to implement the agreements reached during the 3rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Border Regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Plenipotentiary Representatives of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in the border regions, held on December 8 this year in Ferghana.

Specific issues requiring accelerated elaboration by the parties were considered, and algorithms for their prompt solution were developed.

Measures aimed at deepening investment cooperation and industrial cooperation between the two countries, as well as border regions, were substantively discussed. For the purpose of systematic interaction in these areas, the parties reached an agreement on regular replenishment of the developed "roadmap" to deepen industrial cooperation and ensure its consistent implementation.

Particular attention in the framework of the agenda of the talks was paid to measures to ensure further growth in the volume of mutual trade, diversify its structure, as well as the development of a unified methodology for recording statistical data in bilateral trade.

The parties also carried out a detailed analysis of the implementation of cooperation projects in the field of agriculture, following which further steps were determined to expand cooperation between agricultural producers and research institutes of the two countries.

During the dialogue, the priority importance of further development and strengthening of strategic partnership in the field of transport and logistics was emphasized. The resumption of air traffic was positively assessed and the possibilities for opening an international bus service between major cities of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan were discussed. They also discussed the issues of enhancing cooperation on a number of projects in the transport sector, including on accelerating the implementation of the project to create a railway corridor "China - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan".

The parties noted the importance of active involvement of the administrations of border regions in cooperation, including the development of separate "roadmaps" for the development of interregional investment and trade and economic ties.