Today, on May 23, a telephone conversation took place between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The head of our state expressed sincere gratitude to the First President of Kazakhstan for full-fledged support and personal contribution to the development and consolidation of the Uzbek-Kazakhstan bonds of friendship, good neighborliness and multidimensional cooperation.

It was stressed that owing to joint efforts, the traditionally close relations between our two countries have reached a qualitatively new level over the past few years, they are filled with solid practical substance.

The prolific first state visit by the President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev to Uzbekistan this April, which once again demonstrated the continuity of Elbasy’s foreign policy course, was recollected with high delight.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed during the telephone conversation the pressing issues in bilateral relations, as well as those in the international and regional agenda.

They paid priority attention to the implementation of agreements in the trade and economic sphere, to building up the cooperation at the level of leading enterprises and businesses in industry, energy, transport and other sectors.

The dynamic growth and the diversification of the structure of mutual trade were positively evaluated. In 2018, the turnover exceeded 3 billion US dollars, while the aim for the next period is $ 5 billion at minimum.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Nursultan Nazarbayev noted the importance of continuing intensive interregional (among the regions of the two nations) contacts designed for the effective use of broad economic opportunities and great potential in the cultural and humanitarian sphere, including in the framework of the Year of Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan.

The decisive role of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, which is now headed by the prime ministers of the two states, was emphasized.

In conclusion, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Nursultan Nazarbayev reaffirmed shared desire and strong commitment to bolster the strategic partnership and mutually advantageous cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for the benefit of two fraternal peoples, in the interests of stability and sustainable development in Central Asia.