Uzbekistan seeks closer Russia ties after treaty pullout

Tashkent is looking for ways to strengthen strategic ties with Moscow despite Uzbekistan's recent withdrawal from a Russian-led collective security organization, Uzbek President Islam Karimov said on Tuesday, RIA Novosti reports.

“Consolidation of bilateral relations is one of our priorities,” he said during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, adding that “security matters are on our bilateral agenda.”

The meeting comes six months after Uzbekistan officially suspended its membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Lavrov said Russia regretted Uzbekistan’s decision in June to suspend its CSTO membership, but that Uzbekistan remained an ally.

“That is Uzbekistan’s sovereign choice. We regret the decision was made, but it was,” Lavrov said.