Uzbekistan, Tashkent, July 31 / Trend D. Azizov /
Uzbek Foreign Minister has held talks with Turkmen Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Shiri Shiriyev today, the Foreign Ministry said.
The sides discussed urgent issues of bilateral cooperation in various sectors, as well as promising directions of developing the Uzbek-Turkmen cooperation.
As it was reported earlier, a telephone conversation was held between Turkmen and Uzbek presidents Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov and Islam Karimov last Tuesday, during which the two presidents exchanged views on prospects for international dialogue and discussed issues of international and regional policy.
The presidents reaffirmed the mutual interest of both parties to build constructive intergovernmental partnerships both bilaterally and multilaterally.
Implementing new joint projects has been called as one of the most effective mechanisms for intensifying the cooperation.
The Turkmen President invited the Uzbek counterpart to visit Turkmenistan.
As it was reported, date of the visit will be coordinated through diplomatic channels.
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are connected by a number of major projects, particularly a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan was opened in December 2009. The parties also review possible cooperation in implementation of the railway project, which would link Central Asia with Persian Gulf countries.
According to the Uzbek State Statistics Committee, mutual trade turnover grew by 1.7 times in 2011 and amounted to $460 million compared to 2010.