PanOrient News | Japan-Uzbekistan Summit Meeting

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Diplomacy

Japan-Uzbekistan Summit Meeting

Friday, February 11, 2011

Tokyo- (PanOrient News) The Japanese Foreign Ministry issued the following statement on the results of Japan-Uzbekistan Summit Meeting:

On Wednesday, February 9, from 6:10 p.m. to 8:25 p.m., Mr. Naoto Kan, Prime Minister of Japan, held a meeting and banquet with H.E. Mr. Islam Karimov, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, who is on his official working visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

After the meeting, the two leaders signed the Joint Statement between Japan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. In addition, in the presence of both leaders, the Memorandum on Economic Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan was signed between Mr. Yutaka Banno, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Mr. Elyor Madjidovich Ganiyev, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

1. Introduction
(1) Prime Minister Kan welcomed President Karimov's first visit to Japan in eight and half years, and said that Uzbekistan is an important strategic partner for Japan and that the President's visit to Japan will certainly be an opportunity to elevate the relationship between the two countries to an even higher level.
(2) In response, President Karimov expressed his great joy in seeing Prime Minister Kan again after his visit to Tashkent last May as the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Japan, in order to attend the general meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The President also stated that Japan is a strategic partner for Uzbekistan bound by strong ties of trust, and expressed his expectation for further development of the bilateral relationship.

2. Political Dialogues, and Other Issues
(1) Prime Minister Kan extended his congratulations to Uzbekistan, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of its independence this year. He also noted the intensification of interparliamentary exchange centered on the parliamentary friendship groups since the last year, and welcomed the advancement of bilateral political dialogues at various levels in recent years.

(2) In response, President Karimov said that Uzbekistan regards further strengthening of its stable relationship with Japan as being one of its top policy priorities, and that he intends to use this opportunity to give additional momentum to bolstering exchanges and friendly relations between the two countries.

3. Bilateral Economic Relations
(1) Both leaders shared the view that further strengthening of economic relations is essential for further development of the bilateral relationship.
(2) Prime Minister Kan stated that, concerning cooperation in the area of mineral resources which Japan emphasizes, he highly commends the signing of a Memorandum regarding cooperation in the exploration and development of uranium deposits, as well as the joint studies and researches on rare metals and rare earths, in the Republic of Uzbekistan between the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) and the State Committee on Geology and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan (GOSCOMGEOLOGY) during the President's visit to Japan, as being a major step toward further developing bilateral economic relations. The Prime Minister requested the President's cooperation for smooth progress of the project going forward.
(3) President Karimov said that, as strategic partners, the two countries should build a mutually beneficial relationship of cooperation that capitalizes on each other's strength. The President said that strengthening the cooperative relationship in the area of mineral resources will benefit both countries, and emphasized the importance of technological transfer through investment from the Japanese side for Uzbekistan, which is experiencing continued economic growth in recent years, to achieve further development.
(4) In response, Prime Minister Kan expressed his expectations for Uzbekistan's further efforts for improvement of the business and investment environment , in order to encourage the entry of Japanese companies into Uzbekistan and to further stimulate bilateral trades and investment.

4. Cooperation in the Area of Economic Assistance
(1) Prime Minister Kan conveyed the decision to extend ODA loans for the implementation of the Karshi-Termez Railway Electrification Project, and that Japan intends to continue supporting Uzbekistan's efforts for democratization, transition to market economy, and sustainable economic development, through assistance in various fields.
(2) President Karimov expressed his deep appreciation for Japan's economic assistance for the past two decades, noting his high regard for the said railway electrification project as it will not only benefit Uzbekistan but greatly contributes to the stability and reconstruction of the neighboring country of Afghanistan.

5. United Nations Security Council Reform
President Karimov reiterated his support for Japan to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and Prime Minister Kan expressed his appreciation for Uzbekistan's consistent support.

6. In addition, at the banquet, Prime Minister Kan thanked Uzbekistan for the special regard paid to the cemetery of Japanese detainees in the country. The two leaders also exchanged views on various issues including the situation in Afghanistan.

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