Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Israel Feruza Makhmudova gave an interview to The Bukharian Times, in which she spoke about the modern development of Uzbekistan, the priorities of state policy, and also shared her vision of the state and prospects of Uzbek-Israeli relations.

The author of the article, editor-in-chief of the publication Rafael Nektalov, emphasizes that Feruza Makhmudova was appointed Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Israel on 19 June 2020, becoming the only woman holding such a high diplomatic post in her country.

“This is an important and difficult choice, since Israel occupies a special place on the world map, and in this part of the Middle East, the geopolitical interests of the United States, Iran, the European Union, Russia, China, and the Arab countries intersect. The position of Uzbekistan is independent, multi-vector. For more than thirty years, these relations have been developing and gaining strength from year to year, acquiring their own traditions, occupying a special position between Israel and the countries of Central Asia,” he writes.

In an interview, the diplomat revealed the essence of the concept of "New Uzbekistan", which reflects the large-scale economic and political reforms in the country at the present stage, carried out under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, dynamic processes in foreign policy. It was emphasized that the pragmatic, active, constructive foreign policy of Uzbekistan is aimed today, first of all, at the promotion of national economic interests, the implementation of foreign economic priorities.

Special attention in the interview was paid to such areas of activity as economic and public diplomacy. Centuries-old ties between the peoples of Uzbekistan and Israel, the unique heritage of the Bukharian Jews and the common past that has evolved and formed over many generations in Uzbekistan and Central Asia as a whole are noted.

The diplomat stressed that today our common goal is to bring cooperation to new agendas with the participation of communities of immigrants from Uzbekistan in Israel, with the active involvement of the younger generation of Israeli repatriates.

“It is very valuable for me to realize that, despite the years of immigration, the feeling of homeland has been preserved in the hearts of many Uzbeks in Israel. We have such a glorious common history and cultural heritage. These national dresses made of adras and satin, joma - robes with stars of David and menorahs embroidered on them with gold threads, native rhythms of doira, invocative motifs of karnays, immortal melodies of Shashmaqom, which adorn numerous festive events in Israel even today! All this, in general, makes our peoples so much related, linking them with a cultural and historical league,” the ambassador said.

Continuing the topic of Uzbek-Israeli relations, Feruza Mahmudova noted that consistent work is underway on the Uzbek-Israeli agenda, a qualitatively new context of bilateral relations is being built up, covering a number of areas from political and economic events to joint projects in the field of education and academic exchanges, industrial and agricultural development, healthcare, information technology, innovative solutions and support for start-ups. A number of bilateral documents were signed that open up new areas of dialogue, in particular, an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of labor migration, interdepartmental memorandums in the field of science and education, and archiving.

In the interview, the diplomat also spoke about her diplomatic career, her priorities and shared her impressions about Israel.