The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as part of his official visit to Russia.
Excerpts from the transcript:
Mikhail Mishustin and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Mikhail Mishustin and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Meeting between Mikhail Mishustin and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Meeting between Mikhail Mishustin and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Meeting between Mikhail Mishustin and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Meeting between Mikhail Mishustin and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Mikhail Mishustin and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Mikhail Mishustin: Mr Mirziyoyev, friends,
We are pleased to welcome you to the Coordination Centre of the Russian Government.
This is your first visit to Russia after your election as President. And I am absolutely convinced that it will open a new page in the development of friendly, partnership and allied relations that bind the peoples of Uzbekistan and Russia.
At the governmental level, my colleague Abdulla Aripov and I are working to ensure the fulfilment of the strategic agreements reached between you and President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
And of course, we will fulfil the agreements that are reached today during the talks at the Kremlin.
We are sincerely interested in deepening our cooperation. Our mutual trade has exceeded 612 billion roubles, or 98 trillion Uzbek sum. In January-July, the volume of mutual trade increased by another 14.5 percent and has now reached more than 470 billion Russian roubles, or 58 trillion Uzbek sum.
We are active in developing investment cooperation. Russian companies are successfully operating in the Uzbek market. Large joint projects are being implemented in energy, agriculture, transport infrastructure, and the digital economy.
We have a unique mechanism, the Joint Commission, at the heads of government level. The commission’s fourth meeting was held on 18 September and was timed to coincide with your visit to Russia, where we covered almost the entire agenda of our common projects and relations. Denis Manturov heads the commission from the Russian side.
I would also like to talk about the special relations between our countries’ regions. The constituent entities of the Russian Federation are working directly with their Uzbek colleagues and partners. The leading Russian regions include Moscow, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and the Orenburg, Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions. Representatives from almost all regions participated in the summit in Kazan.
We value our humanitarian and cultural ties. Russian Seasons took place in Uzbekistan, a master class was organised by the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, as well as an exhibition dedicated to Rachmaninoff and Chaliapin. In September, the Bolshoi Theatre hosted the premiere of a remarkable ballet performance, Lazgi: Dance of Soul and Love, performed by the National Ballet of Uzbekistan. It was very warmly welcomed by the Russian audience.
I would like to mention another area of collaboration, education. Over 63,000 Uzbek students study in Russia; this is more than from other countries. The Government’s grant quota has increased to 800 students. Moreover, 15 branches of Russian universities have opened in Uzbekistan. I believe that there are additional opportunities for even closer collaboration here.
We also welcome cooperation in the EAEU where Uzbekistan has observer status. There are many joint projects here, including industrial cooperation.
I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to invite our Uzbek friends to take part in the Russia international exhibition at the National Exhibition of Economic Achievements (VDNKh) where the Uzbekistan pavilion opened yesterday. I believe we can discuss cooperation there in great detail. We can be proud of many projects. Mr Mirziyoyev, you have the floor.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev: Mr Mishustin, I am sincerely delighted to be here. I am grateful to Vladimir Putin for the invitation to pay an official visit to Russia. I would like to say that we have had many visits, but this one is packed, in terms of its content. Our bilateral relations have acquired the level of comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance.
All this speaks volumes. We have achieved this in the past few years due to the political will of Vladimir Putin and mine, too. As you have noted, we are making progress on all aspects of our cooperation. Indeed, this is making us and the people happy in this difficult time and when our countries are involved in exchanges, and of course, when we achieve good results.
Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov was here ahead me; he spoke with you and your team, and you exchanged opinions on all issues. Of course, we have accomplished a lot, but there are still many reserves and resources and many objectives that we need to achieve.
I was happy to learn about the rectors’ forum in St Petersburg. You mentioned education. A forum of Uzbek and Russian medical workers has taken place. This also gives us a lot in this difficult time. When we meet in areas like education and healthcare, and when we exchange opinions, we achieve very good and tangible results.
As you said, the regional forum is very important. Representatives of over 80 regions are meeting with each other. The heads of the intergovernmental commission maintain permanent contact.
Here is the result: after visiting the exhibition yesterday, I saw all the regional leaders. And even though we in the middle of the cotton harvest, I told our Prime Minister that everyone should attend because we have a lot to discuss, and we also have to work on many aspects of cooperation.
Regarding the issue of establishing a joint development foundation with Uzbekistan, we need this foundation today because, in reality, we seriously intend to cooperate with Russia. In this difficult time, we need to team up and cooperate. Our cooperation includes real and serious achievements. We have achieved positive results in many spheres.
More to be posted soon.
