UZBEKISTAN-TURKMENISTAN: GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD AND FRATERNAL RELATIONS ARE STRENGTHENING

As reported earlier, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid a state visit to Turkmenistan on 6-7 March at the invitation of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

The main events of the visit took place on 6 March. The Heads of state conducted face-to-face negotiations, as well as with the official delegations in an extended format. The issues of further developing cooperation in petrochemical, commerce, economy, transport communications, agriculture, culture, tourism and other spheres were discussed.

Following the negotiations, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Shavkat Mirziyoyev adopted a Joint Statement and signed an Agreement on strategic partnership between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The respective ministries and agencies of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan also signed several documents on consistent development cooperation in the economy, agriculture, chemical industry, railway transportation, cultural-humanitarian spheres, as well as in strengthening inter-regional links.

On the second day of the visit, Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited the city of Turkmenabad.

An opening ceremony of the Turkmenabad-Farab road and railway bridge over the Amudarya river took place.

The length of the road bridge is 1600 meters, while the railway bridge reaches 1750 meters. In construction of these structures, built by Turkmen and Ukrainian specialist, German and Norwegian technologies were used.

Presidents visited the exhibition of products, made by Uzbek and Turkmen artisans, handicraft masters, organized at the square near the bridge.

The President of our country underlined that these bridges symbolize the friendship of our peoples and have a geostrategic significance not only for Turkmenistan, but also for the whole region. He stressed that wide-scale works are carried out in Uzbekistan on developing transport communications, in particular, the Angren-Pap railway line, constructed last year, links Central Asia with China. The mutual integration of railway lines of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will be an important link of the revitalised Great Silk road and will contribute to the development of the region and increase of the welfare of the population.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that Turkmenistan has put forward initiatives on developing transport and transport and these bridges are practical implementation of the measures, taken in this regard. He highly assessed the quality of the construction works, underlined the significance of the structures and expressed thanks to builders and contractors.

The Presidents made a journey over the bridge on the train.

At the state funeral of First President of Uzbekistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov had underscored that the memory of great statesman Islam Karimov will be worthily perpetuated in Turkmenistan. In this regard, one of the main streets of the city of Turkmenistan has been named after Islam Karimov.

A memorial complex has been erected in this street, where the bust of our First President is installed and the complex is decorated with the state flags of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The granite board has the words of Islam Karimov inscribed in Uzbek and Turkmen: "The important fortune that we should value and multiply is a mutual trust between our countries".

Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Gurbanguly Bedimuhamedov, following this wise advice, are strengthening trust between our countries, are steadily developing mutually beneficial cooperation.

An opening ceremony of this memorial complex took place.

Islam Karimov was a great politician, an outstanding statesman, who put the interests of his nation first, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said. The President wisely resolved difference problems and overcame difficulties, which Uzbekistan came across in its new life, hugely contributed to developing peace and cooperation in the whole region, in particular, in consolidating relations between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Perpetuation of the memory of Islam Karimov was our duty. Today, in giving this duty, we must remember the need to preserve the heritage of this great politician, to further strengthen friendship and cooperation between our countries.

We are deeply thankful for this tribute to the memory of First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. Islam Karimov was a great statesman, far-sighted and wise politician, one of the brightest personalities of our time. The founder of independent Uzbekistan built a strong state and developed democratic society in the country, hugely contributed to the peace, security and accord in the whole region. The relations between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are a bright example of friendly, good neighbourhood ties.

The Presidents laid a wreath to the memorial complex, took a stroll in the street of Islam Karimov.

The members of the governments of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the public also laid flowers at the memorial complex.

The Rukhiyat Palace in Turkmenistan hosted a concert of artists from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The concert luridly exhibited fraternal relations of the Uzbek and Turkmen people, served as a good opportunity for close acquaintance with contemporary and classical arts of the two countries.

An exhibition of arts and crafts of Uzbek and Turkmen peoples was organized in the foyer of the palace.

On this, the state visit of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Turkmenistan came to a close.

The President of Turkmenistan saw off our President at the Turkmenabad airport.

The visit of the President of our country to Turkmenistan, the signed documents and organized cultural events vividly demonstrate a high level of cooperation between our countries, based on the principles of good neighbourhood and fraternity.

Tashkent-Ashgabat-Turkmenabad-Tashkent.

UzA