Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Feb. 7 / Trend D. Azizov /
A meeting with participation of EU Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre Morel has been held at the Uzbek Foreign Ministry today, the Foreign Ministry said.
It was reported that Pierre Morel, arrived in Uzbekistan on Monday. The program of the visit includes the meetings and negotiations at several ministries and departments. The state and prospects of the country's relations with the EU are planned to be discussed. The views on other issues of interest to the parties will be exchanged.
The sides discussed the implementation of agreements reached during the negotiations between President Karimov and the head of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels in January 2011.
The practical issues of bilateral cooperation, including the context of improving the EU strategy for Central Asia were also considered.
The two sides exchanged the views on the future directions of cooperation in economy, trade, investment, scientific-technical and humanitarian spheres, as well as urgent international and regional issues.
According to the Foreign Ministry, at present, a strong institutional framework was established. It covers almost all spheres, including cooperation within the implementation of the concept of further intensification of democratic reforms and the formation of civil society in the country.
The cooperation between Uzbekistan with the EU in trade-economic and investment spheres is important. At present, the EU as a whole ranks second in the Uzbek foreign trade.
About 841 joint ventures, including 218 with full capital from the EU countries operate in Uzbekistan.