Turkish-Uzbek cooperation grows stronger

Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Elyar Ganiyev, addressing a speech before the signing ceremony, thanked TIKA for its assistance to Uzbekistan including technical services.

"Uzbekistan’s cooperation with TIKA has always been in Uzbek’s interest and Uzbekistan will continue this cooperation," Ganiyev was quoted as saying by the agency.

TIKA President Hakan Fidan’s Tashkent visit would contribute to the development of Turkish-Uzbek relations, said Ganiyev. He expressed the importance of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Uzbekistan that took place towards the end of last year. It was stimulating for both countries’ relations that have been developing in recent years, he added.

"Currently in Uzbekistan, there are 263 Uzbek-Turkish joint enterprises and 55 other companies doing business with 100 percent Turkish capital. There has also been important developments in trade volume between Uzbekistan and Turkey during the first nine months of the year," said Ganiyev.

Fidan and Uzbek Foreign Economic Relations Agency’s Chairman Hassan Islam Hojayev signed the extension agreement for TIKA’s activities.

TIKA was created in the past decade to promote ties with the newly emerging independent states in Central Asia, the Caucasus, Black Sea and Balkan regions following the break up of the Soviet Union.

In Uzbekistan, TIKA has been carrying out technical assistance projects concerning the Aral Sea Basin, health and transportation.