On December 24 this year, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov had extended negotiations with Acting Prime Minister, First Vice Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic A. Novikov via video-conferencing. The heads of relevant ministries and departments, as well as heads of the border regions of the two countries also attended the event.

The high issue of the agenda was the intensification of the bilateral cooperation in trade, industrial cooperation, agriculture, transport communications, and other areas being the part of the competence of previously formed joint thematic working groups.

The meeting provided the hearing of reports of the heads of ministries and departments of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on the progress in the agreements reached during the 3rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Border Regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Plenipotentiary Representatives of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in the border regions held on December 8 this year in Fergana.

The parties considered issues that require accelerated review and developed prompt solutions for them.

The discussion substantively touched upon measures aimed at deepening of investment and industrial cooperation between the two countries, as well as border regions. For the purpose of systematic interaction, the parties agreed to regularly replenish the developed Road Map to deepen industrial cooperation and ensure its consistent implementation.

The agenda paid a particular attention to measures ensuring further growth of mutual trade, diversification of its structure, as well as the development of a unified methodology to record statistical data in bilateral trade.

There also was a detailed analysis of the cooperation projects implemented in agriculture, which resulted in further steps to expand cooperation between agricultural producers and research institutes of the two countries.

The dialogue emphasized the priority of further development and strengthening of strategic partnership in the transportation and logistics. The parties positively assessed the reopening of air traffic and discussed possible opening of international bus service between major cities of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The discussion also touched upon enhancing of the cooperation on a number of projects in the transport sector, including the project to create a railway corridor 'China - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan'.

The parties noted the importance of active involvement of the administrations of border regions in cooperation, including the preparation of separate Road Maps to develop interregional investment, trade, and economic ties.