ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov has proposed ground-breaking initiatives like Railroad between Pakistan and Uzbekistan passing through Afghanistan (Pakistan-Uzbekistan Railroad).
In delegation-level-talks held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Islamabad on Thursday, the Uzbek foreign minister said that the project will add to Pakistan’s potential as the regional transit hub, enhance connectivity with Central Asia and beyond and aid in regional development and prosperity.
The Uzbek foreign minister along with a high-level delegation including the Chairman of the State Security Service Ikhtiyor Abullayev, the Special Representative of President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan IsmatullaIrgashev and other representatives of Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and State Security Service of Uzbekista was in Islamabad on an official visit to Pakistan.
The visit reinvigorated meaningful deliberations in all areas of Pakistan-Uzbekistan bilateral cooperation including political, security & defence cooperation, peace process in Afghanistan as well as trade and investment promotion.
Pakistan and #Uzbekistan held delegation level talks at MOFA. Uzbek delegation was led by Uzbek FM while Pakistani delegation was led by FM Qureishi pic.twitter.com/bxXJGNHiGv
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) November 1, 2018
During talks, areas of mutual interest for future collaboration were also identified including agriculture, tourism and cultural cooperation.
It was noted that Pakistan and Uzbekistan share similarity of views and a common approach that a stable and economically viable Afghanistan is a prerequisite for stability and development of the entire region.
Both sides expressed readiness to facilitate and support Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process.
The two foreign ministers issued press statement at the end of their engagements at the MOFA.
Both sides agreed that the visit has opened up a new page in Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations, and hoped that there would be no looking back from this point onwards. New strides in all areas of bilateral relations would be made in the days ahead.
In order to give further impetus to bilateral relations, it was agreed to hold the inaugural session of Bilateral Political Consultation and sixth session of Joint Ministerial Commission in Tashkent at the earliest possible.
The Uzbek foreign minister also extended an invitation to Shah Mahmood Qureshi to undertake an official visit to Uzbekistan at an early date, which the latter accepted.
