The meeting took place during a working visit by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Mikhail Mishustin’s conversation with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov
Mikhail Mishustin’s conversation with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov
Mikhail Mishustin’s conversation with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov
Mikhail Mishustin’s conversation with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov
Mikhail Mishustin’s conversation with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov
Mikhail Mishustin’s conversation with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov
Excerpts from the transcript:
Abdulla Aripov: Mr Mishustin,
I am truly delighted to welcome you to Uzbekistan. Above all, I wish to express my profound gratitude to you for your personal participation in the anniversary Tashkent International Investment Forum.
I take this opportunity to congratulate you and all our Russian friends on Russia Day. I wish the multi-ethnic people of Russia peace, stability, and continued prosperity.
Today, you will have an important meeting with President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. I am confident that, during this meeting, new directions for beneficial cooperation will be charted for the governments of our nations.
At present, Uzbek-Russian relations of comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance have reached a new stage of development and are being infused with a qualitatively new substance. As the President of Uzbekistan noted in St Petersburg, Russia is more than just a regional neighbour for Uzbekistan. It is our time-tested strategic partner and ally.
Today, our relations have entered a new era. Cooperation has become multi-layered and multi-faceted. This has undoubtedly been achieved, above all, thanks to the firm political will and the trusting relationship between the heads of both states –Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Vladimir Putin.
A vivid testimony to this is the fact that, quite literally within the past month, our leaders have held two very important meetings. I would particularly highlight the meeting between the heads of state in St Petersburg, where they conducted bilateral negotiations, jointly participated in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, and also launched the construction of the first integrated nuclear power plant not only in Uzbekistan but also in the world.
The Russian Federation has been and remains our key partner and ranks second in Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover.
Over the past decade, bilateral trade has more than tripled to exceed $13 billion. In January–April of this year, this figure increased by a further 20 percent and surpassed $4.5 billion.
Currently, the portfolio of joint projects stands at $47 billion. Since the beginning of the year, $1.5 billion in Russian investment has already been disbursed.
The main task is to maintain this momentum and to fully tap the existing potential.
Within the framework of the agreements on strategic projects, we are interested in hosting Uzbek and Russian brands on shared platforms, creating a unified digital employment profile, developing products based on artificial intelligence, and building a joint online platform for human capital development.
Mikhail Mishustin: Mr Aripov, colleagues,
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for the traditionally warm welcome extended to the Russian delegation in Uzbekistan.
Our visit is timed to coincide with a major event – the Tashkent International Investment Forum.
Thank you – you have just shown us a specialised exhibition showcasing the achievements in the economy, industry, agriculture, and other sectors of Uzbekistan. All of this is most impressive.
Naturally, all our ongoing bilateral events serve to implement the agreements reached during the talks between our Presidents, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Vladimir Putin, in early June in St Petersburg, as you have just mentioned. The task of our governments is to ensure the implementation of the agreements reached at the highest level.
Uzbekistan is a strategic partner and ally of Russia. Our relations are time-tested. They are founded on the principles of friendship, neighbourliness, mutual respect, and mutual consideration of interests. We are sincerely interested in deepening our trade and economic collaboration. You noted that Russia ranks among the leading foreign trade partners of Uzbekistan. In terms of direct investment in the national economy, our country holds first place.
We have excellent opportunities to launch numerous new joint projects in energy, industry, transport infrastructure, agriculture, and the digital economy.
Coordination of Russian-Uzbek interaction is ensured by the relevant intergovernmental commission. Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov chairs it on our side. I believe our colleagues are working rather effectively.
We have also embarked on the flagship project of building a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan to a Russian design. On 4 June, our Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, initiated the pouring of the first concrete into the foundation of the building that will house the first reactor building. I believe that the construction of the nuclear power plant is a crucial step towards strengthening Uzbekistan’s energy sovereignty amid the dynamic growth of its national economy. It also means the creation of a high-tech industry, accelerated development of related industrial sectors, and training of qualified engineering and scientific personnel.
Alongside the expansion of trade and economic collaboration, we are interested in strengthening our traditional cultural and academic cooperation.
Branches of Russian universities successfully operate in Uzbekistan, providing training across a broad range of specialities. Students from Uzbekistan also study at Russian universities. Programmes for teaching the Russian language in Uzbek schools are also being implemented. All of this helps us develop people-to-people ties and strengthen the traditional friendship between our nations.
Year on year, region-to-region cooperation is expanding. The Council of the Regions of Russia and Uzbekistan plays a substantial role in this respect. Let me name the regions that are most actively cooperating with their Uzbek partners: Moscow, St Petersburg, Tatarstan, and the Sverdlovsk, Ivanovo, and Samara regions.
We are working on new initiatives at the regional level, including through the involvement of small and medium-sized businesses.
Mr Aripov, I would like to once again express my gratitude to you for the warm welcome. I suggest that we move on to the items on our bilateral agenda.
