Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Dec.26
By Demir Azizov - Trend:
Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov received Latvian Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Igors Apokins on Thursday, completing his diplomatic mission in the country, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday.
According to the report, during the meeting, the sides discussed the prospects of bilateral relations, the course of implementation of agreements reached during Uzbek President Islam Karimov's visit to Latvia in October 2013.
It was previously reported that during the visit, the Uzbek and Latvian presidents stressed the importance of intensifying the relations among the European Union and the Central Asian countries. Latvia will hold the presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2015.
The presidents stressed that one of the main tasks on the agenda of cooperation between Latvia and Uzbekistan is the further expansion of trade and investment opportunities. They voiced their readiness to expand the bilateral cooperation in culture, health, sports and tourism.
Several inter-governmental documents, including an agreement on cooperation in the field of health and medical science, memorandums of understanding in the field of tourism, transport and transit, as well as the development of bilateral trade relations and an agreement on environmental cooperation were signed following the talks.
Uzbekistan and Latvia have the agreements on economic and industrial cooperation, promotion and protection of investments, as well as avoidance of double taxation.
Latvia is one of the Uzbek largest trade partners in the European Union. As of 2012, the bilateral trade turnover increased by nearly 20 percent and exceeded $246 million and amounted to $126 million in the first half of 2013.
Some 22 enterprises with Latvian investments are operating in Uzbekistan.
During this meeting, minister Kamilov expressed gratitude to the Latvian ambassador for his contribution to the further development of multifaceted Uzbek-Latvian cooperation.
Translated by NH
Edited by CN