Uzbekistan, Latvia boost bilateral ties
Uzbekistan and Latvia signed several agreements following the meeting between Uzbek President Islam Karimov and his Latvian counterpart Andris Berzins, the Uzbek National Information Agency (UzA) reported.
An intergovernmental agreement was signed on cooperation in the field of health and medical science.
The Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade and the Latvian Transport and Communications Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of transport and transit and a memorandum of understanding on measures promoting bilateral trade relations.
The Uzbek and Latvian Foreign Ministries signed a cooperation programme for 2014-2016.
The Uzbek State Committee for Nature Protection and the Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development signed an agreement on environmental cooperation.
National company Uzbektourism and the Latvian Tourism Development Agency (TAVA) signed a memorandum on cooperation in the field of tourism.
During the visit, Karimov got the Latvian highest state award the 'Cross of appreciation' of the first degree, while the Latvian president received one of Uzbek's highest awards the 'Buyuk xizmatlari uchun' ('For great merit').
President Karimov paid a state visit to Latvia upon President Berzins's invitation on October 16-17.
During the talks, the two presidents discussed the prospects of bilateral relations and analysed the main areas of cooperation in the political, financial-economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres and exchanged views on important regional and international issues.
The sides said that Uzbekistan and Latvia are important and reliable partners. They also stressed the similarity of approaches and positions of Uzbekistan and Latvia on all discussed issues.