Azernews.Az

Uzbek President Islam Karimov received the credentials of the newly appointed head of the EU delegation to Uzbekistan, Ambassador Yuri Sterk and Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Fumihiko Kato on May 23, the Uzbek National News Agency, UzA, reported.

While congratulating the ambassador on the beginning of a responsible and honourable mission, Islam Karimov expressed confidence for the further development of bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries and people.

In an interview with the EU ambassador, the president said that Uzbekistan attaches great importance to the expansion of fruitful cooperation with the European Union and the European countries in general.

Today, it is important not only to preserve, but to progressively develop the positive trends of relations within the EU-Uzbekistan format, as well as within the implementation of the EU New Partnership Strategy for Central Asia programme supported by Uzbekistan since its adoption in 2007.

The sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Afghanistan.

During the meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Fumihiko Kato, President Karimov said that Uzbekistan considers Japan as a key and long term partner. Relations with this country are based upon the Joint Statement on Friendship, Strategic Partnership and Cooperation signed in 2002.

The sides consistently strengthen the Uzbek-Japanese political dialogue, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian relations on the basis of experience of effective interaction.

A meeting of the Uzbek-Japanese and Japanese-Uzbek committees on economic cooperation held in Tashkent in March 2013, showed considerable potential for mutually beneficial investment cooperation between the business circles of the two countries by establishing modern industries in high-tech sectors and the service sector.