Uzbekistan, Tashkent, October 30 /Trend D.Azizov/
Turkey is interested in developing relationships with Uzbekistan in all areas, according to a press release issued at the Turkish Embassy in Tashkent in connection with the 89th anniversary of the proclamation of the Turkish Republic.
'The opportunities for cooperation between Turkey and Uzbekistan are distributed over a wide range of issues. Further development of cooperation in all the potentially interesting areas is expected. Uzbekistan with its historical and cultural heritage, strategic location, natural resources and with more than 29 million people that make up half the population of Central Asia, occupies a key position in ensuring peace and stability in the region. Turkey, in terms of stability and prosperity in Eurasia, attached and attaches great importance to the development of relations with Uzbekistan in all areas', the press release says.
Turkey was the first to recognise the independence of Uzbekistan on December 16, 1991 and opened the first embassy in Tashkent. At present, bilateral Turkish-Uzbek cooperation is regulated by more than 90 intergovernmental documents and many high level visits take place.
The volume of trade increased by 13 per cent last year up to $1.295 billion with the amount of Turkish investments in Uzbekistan exceeding $1 billion.
In Uzbekistan, there are 579 companies with Turkish capital and 84 representative offices with Turkish investment, working in the textile, hotel and pharmaceutical industries in the manufacturing of building materials and plastics, as well as in the service sector. Only Turkish construction companies have done construction work worth about $2 billion during 1991-2012.
Uzbekistan is also a major tourist centre. Simplifying the procedure for obtaining a tourist visa to Uzbekistan and the growth of mutual flights will significantly increase the number of tourists from Turkey, the embassy said.