On Sept. 6, Ankara celebrated the 16th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence with the contributions of the successful Uzbek Ambassador Ulfat Kadirov, The Journal of Turkish Weekly reported.

Uzbekistan declared its independence on Sept. 1, 1991. It is the most important country of Central Asia with its historical and cultural accumulation, established state structure, natural resources (fifth in gold reserves, 11th in copper, and eighth in uranium) and its population of 27 million that makes up nearly half of Central Asia’s entire population.

Turkey was the first country to recognize its independence on Dec. 16, 1991; the first diplomatic relations were established between the two countries on March 4, 1992. They have signed approximately 100 bilateral agreements and protocols and have realized 14 high-level visits to each other. The Agreement on Economic and Commercial Cooperation, dated Dec. 19, 1991, the Agreement on Mutually Encouraging and Protecting Investments, dated Dec. 12, 1995 and the Agreement on Preventing Double Taxation are among the agreements between the two countries.

Today, Turkey is Uzbekistan’s sixth biggest foreign trade partner. The volume of foreign trade between Turkey and Uzbekistan grew by 38 percent in 2006 compared to 2005 and reached US$727 million. The volume of foreign trade between the two countries has grown fivefold in the last five years. Of the Uzbek companies with foreign partnerships, the ones partnering with Turkish companies lead the markets. There are 353 Turkish companies in the country. A total of 273 of them are partner companies, and all the rest are run thoroughly with Turkish capital. The total Turkish investment volume is around US$1 billion. Turkish investors operate mostly in the textile, construction, food, trade and service sectors.

Just like the independence of other former Soviet Republics, the independence of Uzbekistan gave a new dimension to Turkish foreign policy. Turkey contributed to the strengthening of Uzbekistan’s state structure, supported its economic and political reforms and helped it integrate into the world. The extremist trends Uzbekistan was faced with, which also posed a threat to the region’s stability, and the prevention of terrorism and drug smuggling have occupied an important place in Turkish-Uzbek relations. In fact, Turkey shared this country’s concerns about the radical trends that threatened the stability and security of Uzbekistan and about drug trafficking, arms smuggling and terrorist activities from the outset, providing this country with materials, funds and military education in the context of a counterterrorism struggle.

While Uzbekistan was criticized in the fields of democracy and human rights, Turkey asked that its special conditions be taken into consideration and stated that the country had to be assessed while taking into account its dimensions of economy and security. Additionally, Turkey has told Uzbekistan that the progress to be made in the fields of human rights and democracy would accelerate its process of integrating into the world and would make a positive contribution to the establishment of internal peace.

It is also an undeniable fact that there is a hidden cold wind blowing between the two countries, even though they are friends and share the same roots. The claims that Turks took part in the assassination attempt of Uzbek President Islam Kerimov in 1999, the support given the opposition in Uzbekistan and claims that Turkey left Uzbekistan alone on international platforms including that of the United Nations, leave the relations in a sea of unspoken tension. Therefore, Kerimov is not visiting Ankara. Also, Uzbekistan did not attend the summit of the presidents of Turkic-speaking countries held in November 2006. In order to eliminate this state of aloofness toward each other, there should be a platform where the problems can be talked about and eradicated. The peoples of the two countries hold no grudge against one another. The cold relations between the states must be ended through dialogue. Turkey should be able to perpetuate its fraternal ties with Uzbekistan with which it shares lullabies, sages, legends, songs, a language and a religion. Brothers mustn’t fall out with each other.