Today, at the Executive Committee of the Political Council of the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businesspeople – Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP), a meeting was held with a Turkish delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Justice and Development Party, Z. Sırakaya.

At the meeting, Chairman of UzLiDeP Aktam Khaitov noted that relations between Uzbekistan and Türkiye are developing dynamically and recalled that this country was the first to recognize Uzbekistan’s independence. Since then, he said, friendly ties between the two states have been expanding in all areas.

“Over the past eight years, relations between Uzbekistan and Türkiye have reached a qualitatively new level”, Mr. Khaitov said. “More than 100 joint projects with Turkish partners have been successfully implemented in our country. In addition, a portfolio of promising projects worth $10 billion has been formed. Mutual trade volumes are steadily growing, confirming the progress achieved. Further rapprochement of our peoples is also facilitated by active cooperation between the two countries within international organizations, including the Organization of Turkic States. The warm and trusting relations between the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan serve as a solid foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation”.

Deputy Chairmen of Türkiye’s Justice and Development Party, Z. Sırakaya and K. Zorlu, highly praised the reforms being carried out in Uzbekistan. They emphasized that relations with Uzbekistan have always held an essential place in Türkiye’s foreign policy, due not only to Uzbekistan’s strategic position in Central Asia but also to the historical ties uniting the peoples of the two countries for many centuries.

The parties noted the advisability of active participation by the leading political forces of Uzbekistan and Türkiye in strengthening bilateral cooperation and further bringing the nations closer together. In this context, the importance of developing inter-party relations was highlighted.

Following the meeting, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed, aimed at strengthening the partnership and giving it concrete substance.

The document provides for the exchange of experience, the establishment of a partnership between parliamentary party groups and local representative bodies, as well as the youth and women’s wings of the parties and party-affiliated think tanks.

The parties expressed confidence that inter-party cooperation will contribute to strengthening friendship and ties between the peoples of the two countries.

As part of the visit, the delegation of Türkiye’s Justice and Development Party will also visit the Türk Ortaokulu ve Lisesi school and lyceum in Tashkent and hold meetings in both chambers of Uzbekistan’s parliament.

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Mukhtaramа Komilova, photos by Rustam Nazarmatov, UzA