EU delegation visits Uzbekistan

UzA, 27 April 2011, 07:52

The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan hosted an international roundtable on “Political and economic development in Uzbekistan and the EU, and prospects of further deepening bilateral partnership and cooperation”. The event was held in the framework of the visit of the European Parliament delegation to the country.

The roundtable was attended by deputies of the Legislative Chamber and members of the Senate, the Ombudsman, members of the EU delegation and representatives of various ministries and departments of Uzbekistan.

Chairman of the Legislative Chamber Committee for International Affairs and Interparliamentary Relations L.Gulyamov noted the consistent development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the European Union in the economic, social and political spheres, as well as in the parliamentary sphere.

Uzbekistan is working closely with the EU in economic, political and legal areas, in the field of agriculture, energy, transport, education, know-how, standardization and certification, audit, control of drug substances, as well as in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and strengthening regional security and stability.



The European Union pays a particular attention to relations with Uzbekistan. The committee of parliamentary cooperation “Uzbekistan – European Union” was created. Established under the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between Uzbekistan and the EU, this committee serves to development of parliamentary relations.

At the regular meetings of the committee held in Tashkent and Brussels issues like relations between Uzbekistan and the European Union, in particular, socioeconomic and financial cooperation, democratization processes, protection of human rights and interests, cooperation in science and technology, education and healthcare, environmental protection and rational use of natural resources are discussed. Along with this, mechanisms of cooperation in the fight against transnational organized crime, illegal drug trafficking, terrorism and religious extremism are considered.

During the round table, Ombudsman S.Rashidova, chairman of the Legislative Chamber Committee for Democratic Institutions, NGOs and Self-Government Bodies A.Saidov, chairman of the Committee for Information and Communication Technologies A.Jurabayev, chairman of the Senate Committee for Foreign Policy Issues S.Safayev and others noted that reforms carried out in Uzbekistan in order to strengthen healthy competition between political parties, improve the activity of civil society and human rights protection have produced notable results.

Members of the European Parliament got acquainted with the ideas and initiatives put forward by President Islam Karimov in his Concept of further deepening democratic reforms and formation of civil society. The concept, in particular, includes priority directions for democratization of state power, improving the legal system, reforming the information sphere, developing electoral law, forming the institutions of civil society and liberalizing market reforms.

“The relations between the European Union and Uzbekistan are developing dynamically,” said the deputy of the European Parliament, head of the delegation Anna Gomez. “At this meeting, we exchanged views on interparliamentary relations, regional security, environmental protection, rational use of water resources, stabilization of situation in the Aral Sea basin, energy, combating illicit trafficking of narcotic substances. The European Union supports efforts and initiatives of Uzbekistan towards important regional and international matters.”