Uzbekistan once stood on the brink of a military conflict with neighboring countries, revealed Abdulaziz Kamilov, the President’s Special Representative for Foreign Policy and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a recent interview with Ishonch.uz.
Kamilov recalled a critical period between 2016 and 2017, describing how regional tensions had reached a boiling point.
“We reached a dangerous point when relations with neighboring countries became tense. If the situation continued in that form, a military confrontation was even possible,” Kamilov stated.
He emphasized that during that time, Uzbekistan's foreign policy was strained, not only due to external disagreements but also internal missteps.
“Frankly speaking, we ourselves created many problems. If these were not resolved and continued to escalate, it could have led to very bad consequences,” he said.
According to Kamilov, the situation began to change when President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office in late 2016. Under his leadership, Uzbekistan made Central Asia the cornerstone of its foreign policy.
“Our esteemed President, in 2017, standing at the UN rostrum, said that Central Asia would be the priority of our policy. And he put forward a very important initiative—to hold consultative meetings with the leaders of the Central Asian states. All leaders supported this initiative,” Kamilov noted.
These regional consultative meetings have since become an annual tradition, contributing to greater dialogue and cooperation among Central Asian nations.
Abdulaziz Kamilov served as Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister from 2012 until his resignation in April 2022. He currently holds the position of Deputy Secretary of the Security Council under the president.
In recognition of his diplomatic efforts, Kamilov has received several prestigious honors. In 2024, he was awarded by Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov for his role in fostering bilateral ties. More recently, in April 2025, he received Italy’s highest state decoration—the Order of Merit for the Italian Republic.
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