Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Oct. 31 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is expected to pay an official visit to Uzbekistan in November 2013. On this occasion, Uzbek President Islam Karimov has sent a message to his Turkmen counterpart.
The message was timed to coincide with the 22nd anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence which is currently being celebrated.
'Uzbekistan is looking forward to your official visit in November 2013', the letter said. 'This will give a new impetus to further strengthening and developing bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries'.
In his message Karimov also expressed confidence that the multifaceted Uzbek-Turkmen relations based on the solid principles of friendship, good neighbourliness, mutual support and respect will be steadily developed and strengthened in the interest and for the benefit of the countries and peoples.
Ashgabat and Tashkent are examining the ways to increase mutual investments, implement beneficial projects in various sectors and diversify joint activity. The countries planned to increase bilateral trade turnover up to $1 billion for the next two years.
The two Central Asian countries are regularly discussing such issues as the situation in Afghanistan, the problems of the Aral Sea and cross-border rivers at a high level.
They are both connected by a number of major economic projects. In particular, a gas pipeline was opened from Turkmenistan to China via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in December 2009. The sides are considering the possibility of cooperation in the implementation of a railway project that would connect Central Asia with the Persian Gulf countries.