Uzbekistan, Tashkent, July 25 /Trend D.Azizov/
Members of the Uzbekistan and Belgian parliaments discussed the expansion and strengthening of bilateral relations in the course of the Brussels IX meeting of the Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (PCC), Jahon news agency under the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.
The delegation of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, which participated in the meeting and EU representatives, stressed the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation which is the basis for the development of constructive and mutually beneficial trade, economic and investment relations.
The EU representatives expressed their willingness to maintain a political dialogue with Uzbekistan, considered as an important partner of the EU in Central Asia, Jahon said.
The parties drew attention to the commonality of interests with regard to promoting regional stability and developing of joint and coordinated responses to such global challenges as combating drug trafficking, terrorism and extremism. The potential of Uzbekistan and its key role in the stabilisation and development of the whole Central Asian region was emphasised.
The possibility of participation of European companies in investment projects aimed at modernising the leading sectors of the Uzbek economy and the use of European financial institutions investment as a new element of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the EU were discussed in the frame of the meeting.
The investment potential of the existing free investment economic zone (FIEZ) Navoi and a free investment zone (FIZ) Angren was also discussed. The parties have also expressed interest in further expanding cooperation in the fields of environment, health and energy.
Search for mutually acceptable solutions to water management issues on the basis of universal norms and principles of international law on trans-boundary water and energy security in the region were discussed among other important issues.
Special attention was paid to the issues of further reforms in Uzbekistan on democratisation and improvement of the political and judicial systems. Representatives of the European Parliament welcomed Uzbekistan's efforts to implement reforms, maintain inter-ethnic cooperation, the development of a society based on rule of law and good governance. The EU stressed the importance of action on cooperation to achieve these goals.
A joint declaration was adopted as a result of IX session of the Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.