Uzbekistan, Tashkent, June 13 / Trend D. Azizov /
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov on Tuesday received the first deputy U.S. Secretary of State William Burns, who arrived in Tashkent on a working visit, the Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA) reported.
During the talks both sides considered the state and future directions of cooperation, the most urgent issues of bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues, stabilising the situation in Afghanistan, as well as other topics of mutual interest.
President Karimov noted the growing dynamics and gradual strengthening of the multifaceted Uzbek-American partnership.
He said the visit of Deputy U.S. Secretary of State is an illustration of the growing dynamics of bilateral relations and cooperation between the countries on a growing number of issues and problems that Uzbekistan and the U.S. have to solve together.
Karimov said that Central Asia holds a special position in relation to the problems that occur in Afghanistan and the situation in the world and the region is changing so fast that consultations are necessary and useful both for the USA, and Uzbekistan.
Burns confirmed the interest of U.S. leadership in the further expansion of ties with Uzbekistan in the political and economic and humanitarian fields.
Regular contacts between the foreign ministries, expansion of inter-parliamentary relations and the multifaceted dialogue of state structures and civil society of both countries give a complex nature to the relations. The same day, Burns held talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the sides discussed the practical issues of the implementation of Uzbek-US agreements in political, economic, cultural and humanitarian fields.
According to U.S. sources, Burns also plans to meet in Tashkent with civilian representatives with whom he will discuss issues of regional economic integration, bilateral trade and investment ties, as well as the importance of strengthening democratic institutions and the status of human rights.
From Tashkent the representative of the U.S. Department of State will travel to Kabul where he will head the U.S. delegation at the Heart of Asia conference and meet with representatives of other U.S. partners and regional authorities in Afghanistan.