The Federation Council Speaker discussed the development of bilateral relations with Aide to the President of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko held a meeting with Aide to the President of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva.
“Our meetings have become a good tradition. Your every visit leads to new projects, produces positive emotions and helps promote our cultural and humanitarian cooperation,” the Federation Council Speaker said.
Valentina Matvienko pointed out that relations between Russia and Uzbekistan had reached an unprecedentedly high level. “Tremendous credit for this goes to our leaders, Vladimir Putin and Shavkat Mirziyoyev” and their trust-based dialogue, the Speaker said. She highlighted the value of comprehensive strategic partnership and allied relations between Russia and Uzbekistan, which “have given a powerful impetus to the development of new projects in industry, energy and other spheres.” She also noted the “Russian businesses’ interest in cooperation with their partners in Uzbekistan.”
According to Valentina Matvienko, mutually beneficial cooperation based on respect is benefitting the economic and social development of both countries and contributing to the well-being of their citizens.
The Federation Council Speaker expressed appreciation for the participation of the President of Uzbekistan in the celebrations of the Great Victory in Moscow on 9 May and for the care he shows to the veterans of the Great Patriotic War and the survivors of the siege of Leningrad who live in Uzbekistan.
Valentina Matvienko also spoke about her recent visit to Tashkent and the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) held there. “Uzbekistan has become the first Central Asian state to host the assembly of the oldest interparliamentary organisation in the world. This amounts to the recognition of Uzbekistan’s contribution to its development and its role and influence on the international stage,” she said. Valentina Matvienko also praised the high organisational standards of the IPU Assembly held in Tashkent.
The Federation Council Speaker mentioned the contribution of the Eurasia geopolitical group at the IPU. “Our voice is heeded. The IPU is one of the few platforms that have maintained their independence and an unbiased and equal attitude to all countries.”
Valentina Matvienko pointed out that interparliamentary cooperation was an important element of Russian-Uzbek relations. She mentioned constructive dialogue with Uzbek lawmakers and active functioning of the Interparliamentary Commission. “Uzbek lawmakers are actively working within the framework of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states,” she said.
The Federation Council Speaker commended on the substantial contribution of Saida Mirziyoyeva to promoting the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan on the international stage and organising cultural projects and concerts, including in Russia. She said that humanitarian cooperation was no less important than economic interaction. “Holding comprehensive mutual Culture Days, which demonstrate the diversity of our countries’ cultural heritage, has become a good tradition,” Valentina Matvienko said.
The Federation Council Speaker thanked the leaders of Uzbekistan for supporting the Train of Memory cultural and educational project.
She also mentioned interregional cooperation between more than 80 Russian and Uzbek regions. “The Russian-Uzbek Interregional Forum, which was established six years ago, has recently been transformed into the Council of Regions of Russia and Uzbekistan and is chaired by our presidents,” she noted.
Saida Mirziyoyeva said in her remarks that Russia was the largest trade partner for Uzbekistan and that the two countries maintained “trust-based relations and shared a common history.”
The Presidential Aide called for scaling up joint youth projects.
Discussion at the meeting focused on cooperation in the sphere of education, in particular, tuition in the Russian language.
Valentina Matvienko invited Saida Mirziyoyeva to attend the Commonwealth of Fashion forum, which is scheduled to take place in St Petersburg on 18–20 November. The forum has been held since 2022 to bring together the professionals of the light industry and the fashion business, as well as delegates from the relevant ministries and educational establishments of the CIS countries.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Federation Speaker Inna Svyatenko, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin, and Galina Karelova, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government and Northern Affairs and Chair of the Eurasian Women’s Forum Council.