The President of the Republic of Tatarstan met with Musa Erniyazov, the chairman Jokarga Kenes of Karakalpakstan

(KZN.RU, September 26). Tatarstan and Karakalpakstan, which is part of Uzbekistan, have a number of promising areas for cooperation. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, stated this at yesterday's meeting with Musa Erniyazov, the chairman of the Jokarga Kenes (parliament) of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the deputy chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan.

The meeting took place in the Kazan Kremlin. Farid Mukhametshin, the chairman of the State Council of the RT, Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, Yuri Kamaltynov, the deputy chairman of the State Council of the RT, Albert Karimov, the deputy prime minister of RT and the minister of Industry and Trade of the RT, and others also attended the event.

The President of the RT thanked the delegation of Karakalpakstan for the visit to Kazan and the interest shown to Tatarstan. “We have always attached great importance to the development of contacts with Uzbekistan within the framework of Russian-Uzbek relations. And we are glad to expand mutually beneficial relations”, he said.

Rustam Minnikhanov noted that in mid-October, President Vladimir Putin will visit Uzbekistan, and the republic has high expectations from this visit. The head of the republic added that he also plans to visit this country.

“I am convinced that our capitals must cooperate. It is necessary to consider the trade, cultural, and tourist relations. We will be glad to increase the number of Uzbek students in Kazan universities. In addition, a mutual supply of products is possible. I should note that last year the trade turnover between Tatarstan and Uzbekistan increased”, marked the President of the RT. Thus, in 2017, the foreign trade turnover of Tatarstan with Uzbekistan amounted to 92.7 million US dollars, which is 1.8 times higher than in 2016. The agreement on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation was signed between the governments of Uzbekistan and Tatarstan in February 1993.

“We must create diverse contacts, identify promising areas for joint work. For example, KAMAZ joined the Uzbek projects. You have a strong oil and gas industry, this area must be studied. In addition, it is important to strengthen inter-parliamentary relations. There are many opportunities for cooperation, and we are open for interaction”, he said.

R. Minnikhanov also mentioned direct flights between Kazan and such Uzbek cities as Tashkent, Fergana, and Samarkand. “These flights are in demand, as many Tatars live in Uzbekistan”, said the head of the republic. A permanent representative office of Tatarstan, which was opened in Uzbekistan in July 1992, is carrying out a great work on interaction with the Tatar community, the development of trade, economic, cultural, and educational cooperation.

The President of the RT reminded that the international economic summit “Russia is an Islamic World: KazanSummit” is held annually in Kazan. He invited Musa Erniyazov to take part in this event in 2019, reports the press service of the President of the RT.

The chairman of Jokarga Kenes of Karakalpakstan thanked Rustam Minnikhanov for the invitation to the capital of Tatarstan. According to him, today the delegation managed to see several objects in Kazan.

“We studied the city economy, it's very interesting. Urban management and public services are one of the priority issues in Uzbekistan. We learned how you solve them in Kazan. Also learned what kind of support is provided to entrepreneurs. We have much to learn from you”, Erniyazov shared the impressions.

He also expressed the idea that Kazan and the administrative center of Karakalpakstan, the city of Nukus, could become twin cities.

For reference

The Republic of Karakalpakstan is located in the north-west of Uzbekistan. The administrative center, the city of Nukus, is home to 312000 people. The contribution of the region's GRP to the total GDP of Uzbekistan is 3.3%. An intensive work is carried out in the oil and gas industry. The republic has the largest oil and gas deposits in Uzbekistan.