Uzbek president to start 2-day visit to Brussels on Thursday

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will embark on a visit to Brussels starting Thursday, during which an enhanced partnership and cooperation deal between the Central Asian nation and the EU is expected to be signed, Tashkent said Wednesday.

A statement by the Uzbek presidency said Mirziyoyev will be in the Belgian capital on Oct. 23-24 at the invitation of European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The statement said the talks will focus on expanding and deepening relations between Tashkent and Brussels, particularly in the context of implementing high-level agreements reached at the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit earlier this year. It was held in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on April 4.

“The focus will be on promoting specific projects and programs for practical cooperation in trade, economic, investment, financial, innovation, energy, transport, communications, science, education, and other priority areas,” the statement added.

It said that the signing of an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Uzbekistan and the EU is envisaged.

Earlier this week, Uzbekistan and the EU “reaffirmed their strong commitment to deepening political and economic cooperation” during the 18th EU-Uzbekistan Cooperation Council in Luxembourg.

The meeting held on Tuesday reviewed progress in bilateral ties ahead of the signing of the EPCA, which a corresponding EU press release said is expected on Friday.

Tashkent and Brussels have been cooperating within the framework of a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement that came into effect in 1999.