Kazakh President that it is symbolic that the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan takes place on the eve of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between two states.

Nazarbaev said that Kazakhstan pays great attention to development of bilateral cooperation. During independence years, the states create solid agreement-legal base, which includes over 100 documents. He added that the sides agreed to carry out inventory of these documents. Nursultan Nazarbaev said that the sides also discussed current-state and perspectives of the Kazakh-Uzbekistan relations and exchanged opinion on international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Kazakh President said that trade-economic cooperation between two states is developing gradually. He said trade turnover rose by 24% year-on-year in 2011 to US$2 billion. In the first half of 2012, it rose by 8% to almost US$1 billion.

Kazakh leader said that the sides target further growth of trade turnover and carry out joint effort to expand nomenclature of traded goods. He said that there are significant potential for development of cooperation in investment, transport-communication, agriculture, cultural-humanitarian and other spheres.

He said that the sides considered mechanism of joint use of water-energy resources in Cental Asia and boost activity of International Fund for Aral Rescue. The presidents also discussed perspectives of cooperation in transport-transit sector, he said. “Uniting efforts, we can make our region as important transport bridge between Europe and Asia,” he said.

Nursultan Nazarbaev underlined that during negotiations, the sides discussed actual regional issues and interaction within international organizations.

In particular, the sides exchanged opinion on situation in Afghanistan, situation in Middle East. He said that security and stability in the region depends from joint efforts of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Nazarbaev stated that the sides are planning to expand cooperation in fighting transnational threats and challenges in bilateral and multilateral levels.

Kazakh President said that both sides want to deepen strategic partnership for prosperity of people of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

In his turn, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov expressed his gratitude for warm reception and successful negotiations.

Islam Karimov said that he was satisfied with the visit and fruitful negotiations with the Kazakh President. He said that the sides did not hold such open talk and exchanged opinion on all issues of mutual interest. He said that he felt necessity for such friendly meeting. Uzbek leader said that the sides discussed situation in the region and possible negative consequences of global financial crisis to two states.

Islam Karimov said that the sides reached mutual consent on all considered issues and approved common approaches and intentions to solve difficult issues. He said that this is main result of our talks. Besides, the sides vowed mutual intend to coordinate efforts of two states within international and regional organization, he said.

President Karimov said that the countries have high trade turnover and agreed with Nursultan Nazarbaev that there are all conditions for its significant growth in near future.

President Karimov said that the sides noted that trade turnover between two states does not meet existing potential of economies of two states and trade-economic relations should be boosted. He said that agreements in transport-communication sector is one of key conditions for expanding economic interaction between two states.

In the result of the talks, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan signed several joint agreements. Two Presidents signed a joint statement. The countries also signed agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the Government of Uzbekistan on readmission and transit of persons and execution protocol to it, protocol on introduction of changes and amendments to agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the Government of Uzbekistan on conditions of mutual travel of citizens, as well as a protocol on introduction of changes and amendments to agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the Government of Uzbekistan on border crossing at the Uzbek-Kazakh state border.