Tashkent (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan is taking an active part in efforts of international community aimed at enhancing stability and thorough development of Afghanistan, and attaches a significant importance to friendly and good neighbourly relations with this country. It is conditioned not only by common borders but also by mutual interest of cooperation in the name of ensuring peace, stability and progress in the region, Uzbek Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday, 27 October.

In December 2002, the Government of Uzbekistan with a view to ensure effective provision of aid rendered by the world community to Afghanistan, adopted a resolution on opening the Hayraton bridge at the Uzbek-Afghan border. In November 2003, Ayritom customs complex started operating in Termez city.

On the outcomes of 2007, the volume of humanitarian cargo going via Ayritom check-point accounted for 1.2 million tonnes.

The statement said: “Upon the request of Afghan Government, Uzbekistan constructed 11 bridges between the cities of Mazari-Sharif and Kabul. These communication facilities have ensured uninterrupted link between the North and East of the country at the initial stage of economic reconstruction of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.”

“Power supply to Afghanistan was restored at the beginning of 2002. In 2007 Uzbekistan exported 20 megawatt of electricity to Afghanistan. Following commissioning of Hayraton - Puli Humri- Kabul power line the volume of power supply to Afghanistan can be increased at the initial stage up to 150 megawatt and eventually up to 300 megawatt.

“In June last year the Protocol of Negotiations between Uzbekenergo State Joint-Stock Company and the Ministry for Energy and Water Resources of Afghanistan was signed. The document has defined concrete directions of cooperation for increasing the volumes of power supply to Afghanistan up to 300 megawatt,” the statement said.

In June 2007, the first session of Uzbek-Afghan Intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation was held as a part of the efforts of both sides aimed at extending the scope of bilateral cooperation.

Uzbekistan is rendering all possible assistance to Afghanistan in restoring its national economic system. Particularly, Uzbekistan has been supplying to Afghanistan fuel, construction materials, metal-roll, fertilizers, foodstuff, etc.

The trade turnover between countries is steadily increasing. In 2006 it accounted for US$3.7 million, including exports - US$1.7 million and imports - US$2.0 million. In 2007 the trade totalled US$2.3 million, including exports - US$1.4 million and imports US$0.9 million.

Currently, 122 companies with participation of Afghan business people are operating in Uzbekistan, of them 39 have been established at the expense of 100% foreign capital.

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have established quite active political dialogue. For over the last two years the first Vice-President of Afghanistan, Chairman of Senate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Energy, Minister of Trade, as well as the Adviser to President of Afghanistan for national security visited Uzbekistan.

In 2008 the Afghan delegation led by Minister of Energy and Water Economy of Afghanistan visited Uzbekistan twice. The sides have discussed construction of 200 kilovolt-capacity, 43-km-long power line starting from Surkhan (Surkhandarya Province) substation to Hayraton (Afghanistan). Construction works shall be carried out by the Uzbek side.

On 26-27 August 2008, the first round of talks between the delegations of two countries was held in Tashkent. The prospects of Uzbek-Afghan cooperation on constructing Hayraton-Mazari-Sharif railroad have been discussed in the course of the meeting.