Uzbekistan, Tashkent, July 26 / Trend D. Azizov /
The U.S. hopes to enhance cooperation with Uzbekistan in various fields, U.S. Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake said at a meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives today, Uzbek media reported with reference to U.S. sources.
In particular, Blake expressed the hope that Uzbekistan will take steps to attract U.S. companies in its economy and the sides will strengthen cooperation in science and technology.
He said that the sides will work at the upcoming annual bilateral Uzbek-U.S consultations to make progress in creating the necessary business atmosphere to increase U.S. companies' investments in the economy, educational and cultural exchange, to resolve the current problems in the field of human rights and to strengthen security and cooperation in defence.
The third round of Uzbek-U.S political consultations will be held in Tashkent in August this year.
According to the Uzbek side, it is planned to discuss the issues of bilateral cooperation in political, trade, economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian and other areas during the third round of political consultations. Moreover, the two sides will exchange the views on international and regional security of mutual interest.
The first round of Uzbek-US political consultations was held in Washington in December 2009.
The sides held a substantive dialogue about the current state and prospects of developing the relations between Uzbekistan and the U.S on a wide range of areas of political and economic cooperation within the second round in Tashkent in February 2011.
The parties reaffirmed their commitment to the provisions and principles of the declaration on strategic partnership and the basis of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the U.S as of 2002, as well as the development of constructive and multifaceted cooperation in political, trade, economic and investment areas, security issues, strengthening the foundations of civil society.