Following a long hiatus after the chaotic collapse of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan has reached out to Turkey in a bid to improve relations with Ankara which have been strained in the past few years, Today Zaman reported.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov sent a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, wishing the Turkish prime minister a good Ramadan. The letter was delivered to Erdoğan by Tashkent's Ambassador to Turkey Ulfat Kadirov during a fast-breaking dinner Erdoğan hosted on Tuesday for foreign diplomats in Ankara.
In a speech delivered during the dinner, Kadirov said Uzbekistan greatly respects Erdoğan and that Turkey is considered a friendly and brotherly country by Uzbeks. Kadirov further stated that Turkey has made much progress in the past few years and that it will be a shining country in the near future.
He added that Turkey has made huge advances in the political, economic and social spheres and that it has become a role model for many countries trying to build a democratic state. He also praised the Turkish government for its achievements in enhancing Turkey's influence on a global scale, economic development and the prosperity of the people.