I welcoming remarks

III. CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS OF
UZBEKISTAN’S COOPERATION WITH CENTRAL
ASIAN COUNTRIES IN POLITICAL-DIPLOMATIC
AND TRADE-ECONOMIC SPHERES
Speech by Sodik Imomi, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of Tajikistan to Uzbekistan
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the
Uzbek side for organizing such an important and authoritative
event which is intended to accumulate ideas aimed at promoting
regional cooperation. This need has ripened long ago, because
our region
has a huge potential for interaction which
unfortunately, remains unclaimed. We count on the fact that the
ideas and visions expressed here by the most authoritative experts
of the region will be the starting point for political decisions
aimed at creating a new platform for comprehensive cooperation
in Central Asia.
Tajikistan, under the leadership of the Leader of the Nation,
President Emomali Rahmon, from the first days of independence
proclaimed relations with its closest neighbors as an unchanging
priority in its foreign policy strategy which found its legal
consolidation in the new Concept of Foreign Policy of the
Republic of Tajikistan. Such a step follows logically from our
common history, as the peoples of Central Asia living side by
side from the earliest times have accumulated a unique
experience of good communication. Hospitality, mutual
assistance and mutual respect were always appreciated here, and I
consider this our common wealth which we should cherish.
Therefore, we see our task in strengthening and multiplying these
good traditions in new conditions with new examples. Proceeding
from this, we welcome the course of the new leadership of
brotherly Uzbekistan to recreate and expand good-neighborliness.

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I am convinced that this meets the fundamental interests of all the
peoples of our region.
Bilateral relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan over
the past year have acquired unprecedented dynamism and are
now on the rise. Only in eight months of this year, such large-
scale events as the exhibition of Uzbek goods, Days of Culture of
Uzbekistan, the recovery of regular air services between the two
capitals, the importance of which cannot be overestimated, took
place. Constant joint work is underway to increase mutual trade
and diversify it, and it is yielding fruits. Only in the first half of
this year, turnover in comparison with the same period of last
year has doubled. In the near future, Uzbekistan will host an
exhibition of products of Tajik commodity producers, Days of
Culture of Tajikistan and a number of other events. They are
intended to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the two brotherly countries.
The heads of our states are keeping in regular touch and are
fully ready for decision to bring interstate cooperation to a
qualitatively new level, corresponding to the existing rich
potential and meeting the hopes and aspirations of our fraternal
peoples. In this connection, it seems to us that, first of all,
endeavors should be focused on the following tasks:
1.