President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan continued the talks in an extended format with the official delegations. 

The current state and prospects of further developing cooperation in political, trade-economic, investment, transport-communications, cultural-humanitarian and other spheres have been discussed, the parties have exchanged opinions on regional and international issues. 

The relations between our countries have been steadily developing based on the Treaty on eternal friendship between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan, signed in 1998 in Tashkent, and the Treaty on strategic partnership between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan, signed in 2013. 

Our countries support each other on the issues of international politics, effectively collaborate within the frameworks of such organisations as the UN, SCO, CIS, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, International Fund for saving the Aral Sea. The positions of the parties on many issues of global and regional significance are close or similar. 

Uzbekistan supported the election of Kazakhstan as a temporary member of the UN Security Council for 2017-2018. This will allow to protect the interests of the countries of our region on an international arena. Kazakhstan supported the initiative of Uzbekistan on creating nuclear-weapons-free zone in Central Asia, highly values the foreign policy of our country, based on the principles of non-alignment with any military-political blocs, peaceful resolution of conflicts. 

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan started the path of independent development concurrently. Our countries support each other in modernizing and developing the economies. 

Today both countries are entering a new phase of their development. An Action Strategy on further developing the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 was adopted at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. In his address to the people of Kazakhstan, President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced the start of the third phase of modernization of Kazakhstan. 

Kazakhstan is one of the key partners of our country in the trade-economic sphere. Uzbekistan exports natural gas, cars, transport vehicles, mineral fertilizers, textiles, electronics, fruits and vegetables, construction materials and other different goods and services. Oil, metals, flour and fat and oil products are imported from Kazakhstan. 

Approximately 230 companies with capital from Kazakhstan operate in our country and over 130 companies, established in cooperation with businesspeople from Uzbekistan, in Kazakhstan. 

In 2016 the volume of trade turnover between our countries reached 2 billion US dollars. It was underscored that this indicator, however, does not correspond to the existing potential of the two countries and there are grounds to increase the turnover, at least, twice. The economies of our countries do not compete, on the contrary, they complement each other. It was highlighted that it is necessary to reinvigorate the activity of inter-governmental commission and joint trading houses, organize new sales markets. 

The sphere of transport communications is one of the priority areas of our partnership. Road and railway lines of our countries are mutually integrated. This important communications network also carries out transit functions for third countries. 

Opening of the road, passing through the territory of Maktaaral district of Kazakhstan and linking Tashkent and Samarkand, the launch of the Tashkent-Almaty fast-speed train and bus routes between cities of the two countries will strengthen our transport links, serve to develop inter-regional contacts, trade and tourism. 

The negotiations, held in the atmosphere of openness and mutual understanding, have determined the prospects of further developing cooperation between our countries. The issues of diversifying trade-economic ties, while maintaining their dynamics, enhancing the volume and assortment of export-imports, developing cooperation between business and industrial entities have been discussed.