Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 23 April 2021, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov took part in a regular meeting of the heads of foreign affairs of Central Asia and the United States in the "C5 + 1" format in the videoconference mode.

The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the US Secretary of State.

The heads of the foreign ministries exchanged views on the prospects for further strengthening practical cooperation in the economic field, ensuring security in the region, combating climate change, as well as promoting a lasting peace in Afghanistan.

It was stated that deepening the ties of friendship and good-neighborliness with the countries of Central Asia, ensuring stability in the region and achieving its economic development is the main foreign policy priority of Uzbekistan.

The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan dwelled on issues of consolidating international efforts to effectively address the challenges of the climate crisis. He drew the participants' attention to the negative consequences of the Aral Sea disaster on the ecosystem and biodiversity of Central Asia. In this regard, the importance of enhancing cooperation within the framework of the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea region was noted.

Particular attention was paid to scaling up the implementation of renewable energy technologies, environmentally sustainable innovation, digitalization of water management and the use of water-saving technologies.

A. Kamilov invited the heads of the foreign affairs agencies of the countries of Central Asia and the United States to the International High-Level Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Interconnectedness. Challenges and Opportunities”, which will be held in July this year in Tashkent.