OREANDA-NEWS. February 4, 2008. The third meeting of the Turkmen-Uzbek intergovernmental commission for trade and economic, scientific and technological and cultural co-operation resulted in signing the bilateral protocol.

The representative delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan led by Minister of External Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, Co-Chairman of the Turkmen-Uzbek intergovernmental commission Elyor Ganiev had arrived in Ashkhabad to participate in the three-day meeting. Minister of Trade and External Economic Relations of Turkmenistan, Co-Chairman of the Turkmen-Uzbek intergovernmental commission N. Ataguliev, the heads and leading specialists of the national ministries and departments took part in the meeting.

In the constructive atmosphere the participants exchanged views on the progress of the top-level agreements. The commission found it reasonable to revise and update the legal acts and agreements concluded between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan to foster bilateral partnership.

The participants expressed the mutual readiness to expand and diversify mutually advantageous trade and economic co-operation, to establish close partnership in the fuel and energy sector, agriculture and water industry, education, tourism, the spheres of transport and telecommunications.

The agreement to conduct business forums, seminars, exhibitions on the regular basis to increase the trade turnover between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan was reached. The parties agreed to establish an expert group to study the opportunities of increasing the volumes of exports and imports between the countries in the first quarter of the current year.

Enhancing humanitarian co-operation was a focus of the talks.

Upon concluding the talks the head of the Uzbek delegation thanked the Turkmen partners for the heartfelt welcome and hospitality noting that the bilateral protocol vividly evidenced the mutual interest in intensifying fruitful interstate co-operation based on the solid foundation of centuries-old friendship.

The fourth meeting of the intergovernmental commission would be held in the Uzbek capital in 2009. On those days Turkmenistan would hold the trade exhibition in Tashkent.