Mirziyoyev and Rubio discuss development of strategic partnership

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio have discussed development priorities of the bilateral strategic partnership, the president's press service said.

"The main focus was on further strengthening the Uzbek-U.S. strategic partnership and consistent implementation of the agreements reached at the highest level," the statement said.

The sides praised the results of the latest C5+1 (five Central Asian countries plus the U.S.) ministerial meeting in Samarkand, which reaffirmed mutual interest in strengthening the dialogue and expanding multifaceted cooperation between the U.S. and the Central Asian countries.

The two sides noted the intensifying bilateral interactions in politics and in the security, trade, investment, innovation, technology, education and cultural areas, and the expanding contacts between their parliaments, relevant agencies, business circles and academic communities, the press service said.

Separately, the sides discussed security cooperation, primarily combatting terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

The sides also discussed the prospects of cooperating on strategic minerals, energy, transport, artificial intelligence and digital technology. Particular attention was paid to developing inter-regional ties and organizing exchanges of business missions.

Mirziyoyev and Rubio also exchanged views on pressing issues of international politics and regional security and examined the schedule of upcoming events involving their countries' leaders, and their contents.