Uzbekistan, Tashkent, June 13 / Trend D. Azizov /
First Deputy Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Minister of State for Religious Affairs and the Commons of the United Kingdom, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, has recently held the talks with Uzbek First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance Rustam Azimov, the Uzbek national news agency (UzA) said today.
She also met with First Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Viktor Mahmudov, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairperson of the Uzbek Women's Committee Elmira Basithanova and chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Sadiq Safayev.
The talks took place during Warsi's official visit to Uzbekistan on June 11-12.
During the talks they discussed the development of trade-economic and inter-parliamentary cooperation, reforms implemented in the country to improve the socio-political activity of women, to strengthen their health and to protect motherhood and childhood, as well as issues of regional security.
She met with her Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov and discussed the state and prospects of the Uzbek-British dialogue and relevant international and regional issues.
Baroness Warsi will also meet with representatives of the civil society, international organisations, British companies operating in Uzbekistan, Uzbek students - participants of the 'G-8 summit model' project organised by the British Embassy in April 2013.
Last Tuesday, the minister visited Khiva and met with local officials and went sightseeing.
Baroness Warsi was appointed as the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Religious and Communities Affairs at the Ministry for Communities and Local Government in September 2012. Previously, she held the position of Chairperson of the British Conservative Party and is currently a member of the House of Lords of the British Parliament on the side of the Conservative Party.
Baroness Warsi oversees the development of relations with Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Central Asian countries, human rights, cooperation with international organisations and the International Criminal Court, as well as all aspects related to the activities of the British Foreign Ministry in the House of Lords.
In April 2012, Baroness Warsi visited Uzbekistan as a member of the Cabinet of Ministers and co-chairperson of the British Conservative Party.
Great Britain is one of Uzbekistan's most important economic partners in Europe. Some 419 companies with British capital successfully operate in the country. The representative offices of 95 companies have been accredited.
Westminster International University in Tashkent plays an important role in strengthening the Uzbek human resource.
Operations are underway to establish a High Technology Centre in Tashkent together with Cambridge University.