President received the U.S. delegation

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on December 10 received Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation and Liza Curtis, Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States, Senior Director for South and Central Asia of the National Security Council, the press service of the President reports.

The head of our state, warmly welcoming the American delegation, noted with deep satisfaction the dynamic development and the consistent strengthening of multi-dimensional cooperation between the two countries. It was stressed that the agreement on the outcome of the US summit in May this year marked the beginning of a new era of strategic partnership.

Contacts at various levels have intensified, a productive political dialogue and inter-parliamentary interaction have been established, joint projects are being implemented in the trade, economic and investment fields, cultural and humanitarian exchanges are gaining momentum.

During the conversation, topical issues of further expansion of the Uzbek-US comprehensive relations, as well as international and regional agenda were discussed. Particular attention was paid to the peaceful settlement of the situation in Afghanistan.

The head of our state stressed that Uzbekistan attaches great importance to the development of traditionally good-neighborly relations with Afghanistan, and is in favor of the earliest possible establishment of peace and stability, ensuring sustainable development in this country.

An important contribution to this process can be the implementation of a number of significant infrastructure projects initiated by the Uzbek side.

Among them are the construction of the Mazar-i-Sharif-Herat railway line and the Surkhan-Pul-Khumri transmission line.

An international logistics center has been established with the Termez-Cargo-Center customs terminal, designed to help increase the volume of trade and transit traffic between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

The meeting stressed the need for closer coordination of efforts of the entire international community in launching a peace negotiation process with the main and decisive role of the Afghans themselves, and providing practical assistance in promoting economic assistance projects in Afghanistan.

Zalmay Khalilzad and Liza Curtis, expressing deep gratitude to Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the warm welcome, conveyed sincere greetings on behalf of the President of the United States of America Donald Trump.

A high assessment was given to the reforms being carried out in Uzbekistan in all spheres of life of the state and society, as well as the ongoing foreign policy of our country in relations with neighboring states, including Afghanistan.

It was noted that the results of the International Conference on Afghanistan, held in March this year in Tashkent, largely determined the directions of international steps and became the basis for joint action on the peaceful settlement of the Afghan issue.

At the end of the meeting, mutual readiness to further strengthen the Uzbek-US strategic partnership and expand cooperation in resolving the situation in Afghanistan in order to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the region was stressed.