15 June 2004 14:57
Putin to meet Uzbek president in Tashkent on 16 June
June
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will pay a working visit to Uzbekistan on 16-17 June.
According to [Uzbek] Foreign Ministry, the Russian leader will meet his Uzbek counterpart at the presidential
residence Oqsaroy on 16 June. The sides will discuss issues of deepening bilateral relations, maintenance of security
and stability in Central Asia, cooperation within the Central Asian Cooperation Organization and the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization, as well as international problems.
After the negotiations, the presidents of Uzbekistan and Russia will sign several documents, including an agreement
on the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Russia. The Foreign Ministry noted that this document should become
a basis for a qualitatively new level of long-term relations between the two countries.
It is also expected that Uzbekneftegaz national holding company (Uzbek Oil and Gas) and LUKoil will sign a 1bn dollar
agreement. This document and the impending agreement with Gazprom for the development of the Ustyurt deposit will
increase Russian investments in the Uzbek oil and gas sector to 2.5bn dollars.
Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Russia grew by 43 per cent to 145.6m dollars in the first quarter of 2004, of
which 39.5m dollars were Uzbek exports.
Uzbekistan's main export items to Russia are machinery and equipment, energy resources, foodstuffs,
cotton-fibre, chemical and plastic products, ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Machinery and equipment, chemical and
plastic products, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, services, energy resources and foodstuffs are the items imported by
Uzbekistan from Russia.
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