“Thank you for the warm congratulations you sent me on the occasion of my re-election as President of the European Commission,” the message reads.

“This is a time of great opportunity both for Europe and Uzbekistan: a time when our citizens expect us to build a prosperous, secure and sustainable future for all. But we also have great challenges ahead, from exiting the global recession to tackling climate change.

“I firmly believe that if we can harness our values and deploy our strengths to best effect, the next few years will allow us to chart a path that will shape our success for decades to come,” the message said.

“Uzbekistan with its rich traditions and centuries-old exchanges with Europe is an important partner of the European Union. I am both delighted and honoured to be entrusted with the leadership of the Commission and I look forward to developing much closer relations with Uzbekistan.

“I would like to take this opportunity to extend my best wishes of prosperity and well-being to the people of Uzbekistan on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the 2200th anniversary of Tashkent,” concluded Jose Manuel Barroso.