Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - An international webinar on the theme "Central Asia: Vision of Peace, Partnership and Development" was held online on 16 May. The event was organized by the Indian think tank "Tillotoma Foundation".

Prominent representatives of leading foreign research structures took part in the videoconference. Among them are the Atlantic Council, the Institute for Foreign Policy Research, the Department of Political Skills at the University of Louisville (USA) and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (Russia).

The Uzbek side was represented by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to India D. Akhatov, Director of IACMO D. Kurbanov, as well as leading researchers of the ISMI under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the International Institute of Central Asia.

The meeting made it possible to exchange views on the current state of interstate partnerships between the countries of Central Asia, dynamics and prospects for further strengthening regional cooperation at the present stage.

Speaking at the event, the expert of ISMI Aziz Karimov dwelled on these issues separately. In particular, he made a special emphasis on the role of the modern regional strategy of Uzbekistan in the progressive development of regionalism in Central Asia and ensuring the irreversibility of these processes.

Thanks to this policy, according to A. Karimov, a number of systemic problems that previously hindered the development of interregional cooperation have found their solution in the region in recent years, the political climate has radically changed, an atmosphere of friendship and good-neighborliness has reigned.

This situation is conducive to the comprehensive development of multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between Uzbekistan and its closest neighbors. There are exchanges of visits at the highest and high levels with all the countries of Central Asia, with each of them maintaining and deepening strategic partnership. At the same time, as the representative of the ISMI noted, Tashkent does not intend to stop there.

According to him, the new Uzbekistan at the present stage is not only turning into a driving force of regional transformations, but also expresses its readiness to act as a reliable conductor of the collective interests of consolidated Central Asia in the neighboring South Asian region.

A vivid evidence of this is the initiation by the Uzbek side of the "Central Asia - India" dialogue format, which is supported by all participants. It was emphasized that the activities of this platform created additional favorable conditions for the active interaction of New Delhi with all Central Asian capitals.

Another important step made by Uzbekistan towards the revival of historical ties between Central and South Asia, A. Karimov called the signing of a trilateral agreement on the construction of the Trans-Afghan Corridor, designed to ensure uninterrupted interregional transport links and give a new impetus to the dynamics of trade and economic exchanges.

In this context, the participants of the event were informed about the plans of Tashkent to hold in July of this year. high-level international conference “Central and South Asia: interconnectedness. Challenges and Opportunities”.

According to an ISMI expert, this event, designed to determine promising areas of mutually beneficial cooperation between two historically, culturally, civilizationally and economically close regions, will become the cornerstone of all Uzbekistan's efforts to build the practical foundations of transregional connectivity. Its results are capable of laying a solid foundation for the future architecture of interregional ties.

In general, the participants of the event gave high marks to the modern regional strategy of Uzbekistan. The experts also expressed their conviction that the practical implementation of Uzbekistan's goals of building trans-regional connectivity will create a new point of economic growth for Central and South Asia.