On August 23, the third meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent with the participation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, APA reports.
A short film on friendship, trade, and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan was screened first.
Then, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered a speech.
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Expressing his gratitude to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the invitation to visit brotherly Uzbekistan, the hospitality shown, the warm attitude toward Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people, as well as his personal contribution to the development of bilateral relations, President Ilham Aliyev noted that the video presentation screened before the meeting professionally showcased the projects currently under way, pointing out that some of them have already been implemented while others are set to be realized. “The main point is that we have a concrete agenda for strengthening our interaction. I am confident that as the projects already identified are implemented, new projects will emerge, and more time will be needed for such a video presentation. In fact, I was very pleasantly surprised by this presentation, as it reflects the primary directions uniting us today.”
Praising the friendly relations between the two countries and the achievements of Uzbekistan, President Ilham Aliyev said: “First of all, I would like to congratulate you, dear Shavkat Miromonovich, and all our brothers in Uzbekistan on the great success achieved in the development of the country, the strengthening of its potential, both in the socio-economic sphere and in the international arena. Today, Uzbekistan is a state with great international authority. This is primarily your achievement. You work tirelessly, making every effort to develop the country and strengthen its potential, including enhancing Uzbekistan's role in the international arena. As you rightly noted, we always support each other in the bilateral format and across all international organizations in which we participate. This happens automatically.”
The head of state also expressed his appreciation to Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his assessment of the positive processes in the South Caucasus, stating that as a result of the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus, the region today can finally breathe a sigh of relief and reap the advantages of peaceful development.
Touching upon the potential of the Joint Investment Fund, the President of Azerbaijan said: “I have been informed that out of $500 million, approximately $160 million have already been allocated. Naturally, I believe we will utilize these funds soon and define new avenues of cooperation. I must also mention that Azerbaijan has such formats of cooperation with various countries. However, I would say that the most efficient and results-oriented fund is precisely the Uzbekistan–Azerbaijan Investment Fund. Yet, the volume of investments for the projects we have envisioned and already contracted significantly exceeds the capacity of the fund. It was mentioned in this presentation that an investment of $5 billion is planned for Uzbekistan's tourism sector alone. Furthermore, the projects being implemented in Tashkent — hotel complexes and residential complexes — fall outside the scope of this Investment Fund. Therefore, looking at the overall investment portfolio, we see that it is considerably larger than the $500 million we initially established.”
Expressing his gratitude for the support provided in the process of restoring Garabagh, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that Uzbekistan and its head of state were the first country and the first President to provide practical assistance to the liberated territories. “The school named after Mirzo Ulugbek has today admitted almost all the students it can accommodate. The school has a capacity of nearly 1,000 pupils, and according to the latest data, several hundred students are already studying there; this school also serves as a symbol of our friendship and brotherhood. In addition, together with you, we visited the garment factory in Khankendi, which was established by our Uzbek friends in a record short time. We also met with the staff together in Khankendi. Naturally, creating jobs in the Garabagh region — especially for women — is currently of paramount importance. Once again, the first investment project to establish a modern production facility and create over 200 jobs is being implemented by the Uzbek side. I am deeply grateful to you for this,” the President of Azerbaijan emphasized.
Recalling that Uzbekistan's experience in the automotive industry is being transferred to Azerbaijan today, the head of state noted that while the initial project has been implemented, full-cycle production is now under way. An investment of over $80 million is planned in Hajigabul, where a second plant is under construction. This plant will, in fact, provide a major impetus to Azerbaijan’s automotive industry.
Emphasizing that projects related to agricultural development are also being successfully implemented, President Ilham Aliyev said: “We already have tangible results in the transport and transit sector. I have been informed that the volume of cargo from Uzbekistan transiting through Azerbaijani territory is increasing. It is also necessary to accelerate the construction of a ferry for Uzbekistan. Shavkat Miromonovich and I have discussed this matter. The issue has been resolved; we simply need to include this project on the priority list. Currently, our shipyard is simultaneously constructing about ten vessels of various modifications — ferries, tankers, and dry cargo ships. The shipyard is operating at full capacity now, so I believe this is the most suitable location for the ferry.”
Touching upon projects in the transport sector, the head of state noted that active efforts were under way toward the realization of the Zangazur Corridor. Emphasizing that this project would be completed in the main part of Azerbaijan next year, President Ilham Aliyev pointed out that relevant work had also commenced in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Noting that the conceptual approach is to view the Nakhchivan railway as an integral part of Azerbaijan's railways, the head of state stressed that plans were in place to establish an international consortium involving interested companies and countries seeking to invest, generate profit, and ensure freight volumes along this route.
“For your information, I would like to state that work is also under way in Armenia; our American partners regularly inform us about this. According to what we are told, construction on Armenian territory will begin either at the end of this year or early next year. However, the distance there is only 42 kilometers, whereas in the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic it is 194 kilometers. Yes, that is why we started the work, and we will complete it in any case. But since we know there is interest from various companies, I just wanted to inform you that if there is interest, the opportunity to participate in the proposed consortium exists,” the head of state added.
It was also brought to attention that Azerbaijan is completely reconstructing and modernizing a portion of the existing railway line stretching approximately 400 kilometers from Baku to the Armenian border. The Nakhchivan section of the line spans approximately 200 kilometers. This will serve as a significant branch of the Middle Corridor.
Emphasizing the special role of the President of Uzbekistan in ensuring Azerbaijan’s full participation in the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asian countries, the head of state highlighted the symbolic significance of this decision, adopted at the meeting held in Tashkent, and expressed his gratitude. Highly appreciating the personal role of the Uzbek leader in ensuring Azerbaijan's full participation in this format, President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan acts with great responsibility and enthusiasm in its cooperation with the countries of Central Asia.
***16:50
On August 23, the third meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent with the participation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
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