News & Events in Belarus

SAMARKAND, 6 October (BelTA) – Belarus and Uzbekistan have a huge potential for the development of trade and economic cooperation, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said during the working meeting with Acting President of Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, BelTA has learned.

“We need to step up our relations, economic cooperation. I am convinced that in the near future, 1-3 years, we will definitely boost our bilateral trade. There is a huge potential. We need you, you need our economy,” Alexander Lukashenko said. “Therefore, we will make arrangements and specify the details of our official visit when you form the government and hold the presidential election.”

The President said that his official visit to Uzbekistan should have begun today. “I did not choose this moment in advance. On board the plane I looked through my schedule and saw that I was going to meet with Islam Abdulganiyevich [Karimov] here on 6-8 October to discuss current issues,” the head of state noted. “Of course, this visit should have been held in a different way, but the life goes on. Our main objective is to do our best to intensify the relations between the nations of Belarus and Uzbekistan. And we will do it. It will be a good tribute to him.”

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in turn, thanked Alexander Lukashenko for the arrival to Samarkand and for the sincere support that the head of state and Belarus provide to Uzbekistan. “Belarus is our reliable, sincere, and long-standing partner, a friendly country,” the Prime Minister stressed. “The existing trade turnover does not satisfy us. We should find the areas of common interest to increase it.”