I welcoming remarks

Transcript of the video aired at the conference “Central Asia
Is the Core Priority of Uzbekistan’s Foreign Policy”
Mirziyoyev Shavkat Miromonovich officially took office
as President of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the joint session of
both houses of the Oliy Majlis on December 14, 2016. The new
head of state, emphasizing the continuity of the country’s foreign
policy, declared Tashkent’s openness to active international
cooperation on principles of mutual trust and consideration of one
another’s interests.
Breakthrough agreements have been reached in the
political, diplomatic and trade-economic spheres during the
international visits of Uzbekistan’s President and meetings with
foreign countries’ leaders. 320 agreements and contracts worth
more than $44 billion have so far been concluded.
Shavkat Mirziyoev has defined the Central Asian region
as a key priority of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. The region is of
our country’s vital interests.
The choice of Central Asia as a priority is a natural,
sincere desire of Uzbekistan to establish good-neighborly,
friendly, mutually advantageous relations with its closest
neighbors. Tashkent clearly understands that the resolution of a
number of issues related to sustainable development and security
of Uzbekistan in many respects depends on the level of mutual
understanding between and among the countries of Central Asia
and the effectiveness of regional cooperation.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev took decisive and concrete steps as
soon as in the first days as the President of Uzbekistan aimed at
developing mutually beneficial relations with neighbors,
establishing trustful contacts with all the leaders of the Central
Asian nations.
11 meetings and 15 telephone conversations between
Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the heads of states of the region have

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taken place thus far, 2 state and 2 working visits to the countries
of Central Asia have been held over the past 10 months.
The Uzbek leader’s visit to Turkmenistan opened a new
page of cooperation. Significant documents on all areas of
cooperation were signed. The two sides concluded the Treaty on
Strategic Partnership, the railway and automobile bridges across
the Amudarya were opened. An important section of
“Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman” 
transport 
and
communication route was launched. An agreement has been
reached to use the ports of Turkmenistan on the Caspian Sea to
enter the markets of Europe and the Caucasus.
The visit of the leader of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan was
unprecedented in its outcomes. Among the approved documents
are the Joint Declaration on the Enhancement of the Strategic