President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who arrived in Tashkent on a working visit to attend a meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), met with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The Turkmenistan's state agency reports that the two sides discussed the development of bilateral partnership in the political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres.
"The sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest on the international and regional agenda."
Mirziyoyev's press service said the interlocutors noted the consistent development and strengthening of Uzbek-Turkmen multifaceted cooperation and deepening of strategic partnership.
"Practical interaction is expanding in trade, industry, energy, water management, transport and other priority areas."
Experts told Daryo that the two countries, which share a 1,700km border, are currently implementing a project to create a trade zone in the border area.
In addition, Ashgabat has offered to provide cargo from Uzbekistan with access to the international Caspian port of Turkmenbashi to reach markets in the Caucasus, Europe, Russia and Iran.
Turkmenistan is becoming one of Uzbekistan's largest foreign trade partners. In the first nine months of 2023, total trade turnover was $830.3mn, up 1.9% year-on-year.
Uzbekistan imported $700.9mn worth of products from Turkmenistan and exported $129.4mn worth of products to the country. Turkmenistan ranked sixth among Uzbekistan's trading partners in the reporting period, up three points from a month earlier.
Eziz Boyarov
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