Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Russia and Uzbekistan have developed a strategic partnership program in the military field for 2021-2025. This was announced by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu in Bukhara. This is reported by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

“Its implementation will make it possible to give the interaction a more systemic character, to bring it to a level corresponding to the spirit of our special relations. This is the first time such a document has been developed. I propose to approve it today,” Sergei Shoigu said at the talks with the Minister of Defense of Uzbekistan Bakhodir Kurbanov in Bukhara.

Sergei Shoigu invited his colleagues from Uzbekistan "to the landmark events of the Russian Ministry of Defense this year - the IX Moscow Conference on International Security, the Army International Military-Technical Forum, International Army Games", which will actually be held at the same time.

“We did this on purpose so that those who accept this equipment, acquire it, and operate it could see this technique in action at all our landfills. And the most important thing is to share the experience that the Russian Armed Forces have in the fight against terrorism today,” said the head of the Russian military department.

“I wish your teams to perform at the Games as successfully as at the previous competitions,” said the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.

“We consider the priorities of military cooperation to be the holding of bilateral measures to ensure military security, strengthening the combat potential of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan, as well as training military personnel,” Sergei Shoigu said.

According to Shoigu, "it is necessary to maintain the achieved pace of interaction and develop it." In particular, for this purpose, a program of strategic partnership between Russia and Uzbekistan in the military field for 2021-2025 was prepared.

At the same time, the head of the Russian defense department emphasized that Uzbekistan is Russia's strategic partner in the Central Asian region.

“Our states successfully interact in many areas, including the security sector. Today it is important to jointly confront challenges and threats, especially international terrorism,” the Russian Defense Minister said.

He thanked his colleague for the invitation to visit Uzbekistan and for the warm welcome.

“My old dream has come true to visit Bukhara - the pearl of Central Asia and an open-air historical museum. I am sincerely glad to meet you and to discuss the issues of bilateral cooperation,” Sergei Shoigu said.

Uzbek Defense Minister Bakhodir Kurbanov said that the republic is interested in expanding cooperation with Russia in the field of regional security.

“We are interested in further deepening bilateral and multilateral ties with Russia in terms of filling our strategic partnership and alliance relations with concrete practical content. Along with this, I would like to emphasize that Uzbekistan is also interested in further expanding comprehensive cooperation with the Russian Federation in the field of defense and regional security,” Kurbanov said.

He noted that the relationship between the two countries has moved to a qualitatively new level of strategic partnership.

“Today Russia is a major trade and investment partner of Uzbekistan,” Kurbanov stressed.

According to him, despite the pandemic, relations between Russia and Uzbekistan are developing "at a progressive pace."

He also stressed that joint implementation and preparation of large projects in the nuclear energy, oil and gas complex, mechanical engineering, electrical and textile industries, pharmaceuticals, food industries and deep processing of agricultural products is underway.

“Direct contacts are developing between the regions of our states,” said the Minister of Defense of Uzbekistan.

He congratulated Shoigu “on the anniversary date - thirty years of service to the Fatherland as part of the Russian government” and wished his colleague “success, as well as inexhaustible creative energy in his noble work to strengthen the defense capability and ensure the security of the Russian Federation”.

The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, donated to Uzbekistan a selection of archival documents on the contribution of the people of the republic to the defeat of fascism during the Great Patriotic War.

“Our meeting is taking place on the eve of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. I brought as a gift a selection of archival documents about the contribution of the Uzbek people to the common Victory. I will hand them over at the end of our meeting,” Sergei Shoigu said at the talks with the Minister of Defense of Uzbekistan Bakhodir Kurbanov in Bukhara.

Then the Russian Defense Minister proposed to his colleague to move on to discussing topical issues of military and military-technical cooperation.