Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 5 November 2019, the First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis Sodik Safaev met with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway Audun Halvorsen.

The subject of discussion was the prospects for the development of political, trade, economic and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and Norway, as well as interaction within the framework of a multi-partner trust fund for the Aral Sea region under the auspices of the UN.

During the meeting, it was noted the importance of expanding the agenda of bilateral cooperation, in particular, in such areas as inter-parliamentary relations, increasing the flow of Norwegian investments in our country, establishing joint high-tech industries and efficient trading floors.

It was emphasized that in Norway they are closely monitoring the ongoing democratic changes in Uzbekistan, which are yielding practical results, including in terms of the effectiveness of international cooperation. The Norwegian side is ready to provide all possible assistance to the progress of the reforms carried out in our country. Based on this, during the meeting, an exchange of views took place on areas of cooperation in various fields using the rich experience of Norway.

Strengthening bilateral inter-parliamentary ties is another issue discussed at the meeting. It was emphasized that the strengthening of the role of the legislative body of Uzbekistan in the reform process contributes to the strengthening and improvement of the regulatory framework of the reforms, the full implementation of the powers of the legislative branch of power and, ultimately, the rule of law and human rights in the country. In this regard, the parties considered possible areas for deepening cooperation, exchanging information and ideas.

Speaking about the work in the framework of the multi-partner trust fund for the Aral Sea region under the auspices of the UN, it was noted that Norway became the first donor of the fund, having allocated US$1.2 million. It was emphasized that the comprehensive measures taken by the Government of Uzbekistan to mitigate the environmental impact of the Aral Sea crisis and the livelihoods of people living in the region are of great importance not only for Uzbekistan, but also for the entire world community. In the context of the issue under discussion, priority areas for further dialogue are considered.

During the meeting, issues of cooperation within the framework of international organizations and other topics of the current international and local agenda were discussed.