Uzbekistan, EU discuss co-op
By Aynur Jafarova
The prospects of expanding cooperation in trade, economic and investment fields, including the establishment of joint high-tech industries based on the European practice were high on the agenda of talks between Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and EU Special Envoy for Central Asia Janos Herman.
The EU Special Envoy is in Uzbekistan to attend the international conference titled "The most important provisions of food program implementation in Uzbekistan" which will be held in Tashkent on June 5-6.
During the June 4 meeting , Kamilov and Herman also mulled the process of implementing the joint programs with the EU.
The sides stressed the mutual interest in the gradual development of cooperation in various areas, as well as exchanged views on prospects for strengthening bilateral relations in the cultural-humanitarian field.
Uzbekistan and the EU signed an agreement "On partnership and cooperation" in 1996.
The EU representative office was opened in Tashkent in 2012.
Currently, cooperation between the EU and Uzbekistan is developing in several directions.
In 2013, the volume of trade between the EU and Uzbekistan amounted to about 1.65 billion euros. Experts believe this figure does not reflect the existing potential for cooperation.
The EU has provided about 72 million euros to support the development of Uzbekistan in 2007-2013, and this amount can reach 68 million euros in 2014-2020.