Intergovernmental commission on bilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and Belarus held a session in Tashkent on 23 May.

The session was attended by representatives of ministries and departments, companies and firms of Uzbekistan and Belarus, engaged in energy, banking and finance, agriculture, pharmaceutical, food industry, transport and communication, tourism and culture

Kuvandyk Sanakulov, deputy prime minister of Uzbekistan and co-chairperson of the commission, said Belarus is traditional partner of Uzbekistan.

Andrei Kobyakov, deputy prime minister of Belarus and co-chairperson of the commission, said the relations between countries, based on friendship principles, trust and interest, are gradually developing in politics, trade-economy, scientific-technical, cultural and other spheres.

Kobyakov said the visit of Belarus delegation to Uzbekistan aimed at consideration of opportunities for further and strengthening of mutual cooperation in many industries, including in economy, energy, science, tourism, sport and pharmaceuticals. He said the Belarus side is for development and implementation of projects, which meets interests of both sides.

The session considered opportunities on further development of trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation and determined perspectives spheres for cooperation. The sides discussed issues on expansion of number of joint ventures and bilateral trade turnover.

Trade between countries made up US$70.5 million in 2006 and about US$24 million in the first quarter of 2007.