President Erdogan gets warm welcome in Uzbekistan

By Ilkay Guder

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was welcomed in capital Tashkent on Monday by his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Erdogan is in Uzbekistan on a three-day official visit.

An official ceremony was held in the capital, where the national anthems of both countries were played before the official talks began.

During his stay, the Turkish president is expected to discuss bilateral, economic and political relations with Mirziyoyev.

He is also due to address the Uzbek parliament and attend the Turkey-Uzbekistan Business Forum along with Mirziyoyev.

On Tuesday, the Turkish president will visit the historic city of Bukhara where he plans to establish two Islamic institutes.

The president is accompanied by a large delegation, including his wife Emine Erdogan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmus, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, intelligence chief Hakan Fidan, Deputy Prime Minister Hakan Cavusoglu, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul, Science, Industry, and Technology Minister Faruk Ozlu, Labor and Social Security Minister Julide Sarieroglu, Customs and Trade Minister Bulent Tufenkci and presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin.