On January 8, ISRS Director Eldor Aripov met with the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Republic of Uzbekistan, Syed Ali Asad Gilani.

The parties exchanged views on the current state and prospects for the development of cooperation, as well as discussed the efforts of the two countries to establish long-term peace in Afghanistan.

The Ambassador of Pakistan praised Uzbekistan’s contemporary foreign policy, which is distinguished by its pragmatism, constructiveness and focus on strengthening good, mutually beneficial and friendly relations with all partners.

It was emphasized that another indicator of Uzbekistan’s commitment to this course was the initiative put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to hold in May 2021 International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities”.

Issues of further strengthening the mutually beneficial Uzbekistan – Pakistan partnership were also discussed at the meeting. Ambassador Syed Ali Asad Gilani expressed interest in giving new dynamics to cooperation. The drivers of the consistent deepening of relations, according to the Ambassador of Pakistan, are such areas as trade, transport, logistics, science, education, tourism.

Special emphasis was placed on strengthening cooperation in tourism. The Ambassador noted that in Pakistan, many wish to visit Samarkand and Bukhara. The important role of strengthening direct contacts between the business communities of the two countries was also noted.

Touching upon the Afghan issues, the Ambassador highly appreciated Uzbekistan’s policy to support the peace process and the active involvement of Kabul in regional economic and infrastructure projects. These efforts contribute to the resolution of the crisis in this country and are strategically important for the long-term stability and sustainable development of Central and South Asia, opening the doors of huge potential in trans-regional cooperation.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue the expert dialogue and exchange views on a wide range of issues on the bilateral agenda.

UzA