SESSION OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION

The 12th session of the Uzbek-Turkmen joint commission for trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation has taken place in Tashkent’s international business centre.

The event was attended by heads of the two countries’ ministries and departments responsible for the sphere of external economic relations, trade, industry, oil and gas, energy, agriculture, textile, science and technology, transport and transportation links, customs and culture.

The minister of foreign economic relations, investment and trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan and a co-chairman of the commission, Elyor Ganiyev, especially noted the consistent development of trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

As a result of regular dialogue between the first President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, and the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, a treaty-fixed legal basis was created for cooperation between the two countries. Today it serves to develop bilateral relations in such spheres as trade, the economic sphere, the fuel and energy sector, transport, agriculture, science and culture as well as tourism.

Vehicles, mineral fertilizers, agricultural produce, building materials, electrical and mechanical equipment as well as services in various spheres are exported from Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan. Oil products, polypropylene polymers and other chemical products are brought from Turkmenistan into Uzbekistan.

According to results of the year 2015, the volume of the two countries’ mutual trade amounted to about 320 million dollars, and in January-August this year - 177 million dollars.

It was emphasized at the session that despite the ongoing global financial-economic crisis and volatility on world markets, there were still positive trends for the further strengthening of the cooperation and the raising of mutual trade between the two countries.

Roads and railways of the two countries are effectively interlinked. This as well as the creation of favourable conditions for mutual trade also perform a transit function for third states.

It was noted that the provision of additional privileges for this sphere and the lowering of transit tariffs would help to raise export volumes.

“Like Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan also sees it main aim in providing for the people’s interests and raising their wellbeing. Our countries have great potential for that. We can offer each other a wide range and spectrum of goods and services. We intend to effectively use these opportunities and further develop bilateral relations with Uzbekistan in such spheres as the economic sphere, industry, the fuel and energy sector, agriculture, transport and transportation links,” says Dawran Orasmyradow, the minister of trade and external economic relations of Turkmenistan and a co-chairman of the commission.

At the session of the commission, there was discussion of issues of further increasing the volume of trade between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan while keeping its growing dynamic, the diversification of trade-economic relations and the expansion of the export-import product mix.

Special attention was paid to issues of jointly drawing up and implementing projects, establishing more joint ventures and developing business contacts between entrepreneurs.

As a result of the session of the joint commission, an appropriate document was signed.

Members of Turkmenistan’s delegation familiarized themselves with the work of a number of industrial enterprises in Uzbekistan.

UzA