Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Sept. 9
By Demir Azizov- Trend:
Stefan Klötzli, the newly appointed Swiss Ambassador to Uzbekistan, handed over the copies of his credentials to Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov Sept. 9, the Uzbek foreign ministry said.
During the talks at the foreign ministry, the sides exchanged views on the relevant issues of Uzbek-Swiss relations, promising areas of their development in the political, trade-economic, investment, cultural-humanitarian and other fields.
Swiss President, OSCE Chairman Didier Burkhalter visited Uzbekistan in November 2014.
His talks with Uzbek President Islam Karimov strengthened the political dialogue at the highest level and gave a new impetus to bilateral relations.
The sides voiced their intention to continue the practice of holding the regular consultations between the foreign ministries, to establish the inter-parliamentary exchange and to develop the mutually beneficial cooperation between business representatives of the two countries.
Moreover, some international and regional issues were discussed at the meeting.
The diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Switzerland were established in May 1992.
Currently, the Uzbek-Swiss relations are governed by 25 intergovernmental documents.
The bilateral trade volume amounted to $150.2 million in 2014, which is 86.3 million more than in 2013.
Uzbekistan exports cotton fiber, wood pulp, medicine, services to Switzerland. Among the imported goods are textiles, pressing, crushing equipment, pharmaceutical and chemical items, optical instruments and devices, plastics.
Some 77 companies with investors from Switzerland work in Uzbekistan, 55 of which - joint ventures, 22 - with full foreign capital. Some 29 offices of Swiss companies were accredited under the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of Uzbekistan.
Edited by CN