On August 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered press statements in Tashkent.

Operativ Media reports that the President of Uzbekistan made a statement first.

x x x

The President of Azerbaijan then delivered his statement.

Statement by

President Ilham Aliyev

"Thank you, esteemed Shavkat Miromonovich.

Dear friends.

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to you once again for the invitation, the hospitality, and the warm attitude shown toward Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people.

As you know, we have the same warm and brotherly feelings toward Uzbekistan and the fraternal Uzbek people. I believe the outcomes of today's visit reaffirm this once more. First and foremost, however, I would like to note again that this is not my first visit to Tashkent, and every time I come here, I witness rapid development. This can be seen across every field: both in major projects and in the details. Today, Tashkent and all of Uzbekistan are experiencing a period of growth. This is the result of the efforts of my dear brother Shavkat Miromonovich aimed at strengthening Uzbekistan's potential, reinforcing its position on the international stage, and addressing key socioeconomic issues.

When Shavkat Miromonovich assumed the leadership of Uzbekistan, the situation was completely different. The citizens of Uzbekistan know this well, and so do we. Therefore, he had to make tremendous efforts to set the country on a path of development, essentially building the economic foundations for state growth from scratch, diversifying the economy, advancing industry, developing agriculture in a similarly diversified manner, and attracting investments into sectors of the economy that possessed and retained great potential. Today, we see an entirely different Uzbekistan. This is an Uzbekistan deeply respected by the international community, where matters related to industrial development, agriculture, energy, and transport infrastructure are addressed promptly and effectively. Everything Shavkat Miromonovich said regarding our bilateral relations pertains primarily to the work he and his team have accomplished for Uzbekistan.

I have already mentioned this today: had it not been for this foundation, this potential, it would have been impossible to implement any joint projects. In fact, before Shavkat Miromonovich took office in Uzbekistan, there were no joint projects between our countries. Today, we speak of a $1 billion trade turnover target not as a distant dream, but as a milestone we will likely achieve in a few years. What is being discussed today—mutual investment projects in sectors our economies require and need—would not have been possible had both countries not developed along parallel paths. Today, this parallel path is already a vital factor in broader geopolitics. Because, as Shavkat Miromonovich noted, after Azerbaijan joined the format of cooperation with Central Asian countries—a process in which he played a special role—the geography of cooperation has expanded.

Today, Central Asia and Azerbaijan represent a unified geopolitical and geoeconomic region with immense potential and even greater opportunities for growth. In this context, the overall positive dynamics of development across this vast, and I would even say reconstituted and already well-integrated region, also depend on the close interaction between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

Each of the projects we discussed today carries its own value, and as Shavkat Miromonovich pointed out, together they form the unique character of our relations. We have virtually covered all areas, from energy, transport, investment projects, tourism, mining cooperation, and the automotive industry to agriculture and processing sectors. Even today, as we laid the foundation for or launched new initiatives at the end of official bilateral events, simply listing these projects was enough to demonstrate how multifaceted our cooperation is. Indeed, I have not even mentioned our cooperation in the banking sector, the entry of a leading Azerbaijani bank into the Uzbek market, and SOCAR's entry into Uzbekistan's retail market. As for oil and gas exploration projects, we are practically in the final phase and hope very much to begin drilling operational wells next year. I hope that subsequent exploration and drilling operations will yield good results.

In other words, today we are already talking about prospects. The fact is that bilateral relations today rest on very solid foundations—both moral and material. Such a synthesis is rare in world politics, yet it exists. The commitment of both governments to pursue development, create better living conditions, and join forces is the most important factor in our shared success.

Naturally, I would like to emphasize once again President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev's exceptional role in attracting investment to Karabakh. The very first assistance—the construction of a 960-seat school named after Mirza Ulugbek in Fuzuli and investments in a sewing factory in Khankendi—came from Uzbekistan. The first major industrial enterprise is also linked to Uzbekistan. There are plans for additional cooperation both in the Karabakh region and in many other areas. It is also noteworthy that among the numerous projects—around ten or perhaps more—inaugurated or launched today, there were also regional projects.

Projects are being implemented not only in Baku and Tashkent, although the main focus is undoubtedly on these cities, but also across other regions. Yesterday's interregional cooperation forum generated significant practical interest. In other words, to use a phrase many favor, we are combining our efforts to create synergy. We have a very clear action plan to move forward, and every project is rich in concrete content. If we also consider the investment fund, a third of which is already committed to projects, as well as investments in Azerbaijan's tourism infrastructure and automotive industry, this already amounts to billions in investments.

Investments, as a rule, are directed toward friendly nations—in our case, fraternal countries—and to places where a favorable investment climate exists. To return to where I began: Shavkat Miromonovich's great merit lies in the fact that, through his reforms, determination, and wisdom, he has created an investment climate that allows international financial institutions and global actors to see Uzbekistan as a nation at a successful stage of its development.

As your friends and brothers, we are genuinely pleased with this, and I am confident that all the plans you mentioned will materialize as we work together to bring our countries and peoples even closer. In conclusion, Shavkat Miromonovich, I would like to invite you to pay a state visit to Azerbaijan at a time convenient for you. Thank you for your attention."