Putin invites Karimov to pay state visit to Russia this year

UFA, July 10. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov to pay a state visit to Russia. The Uzbek leader accepted the invitation. "This year we mark the 10th anniversary of the agreement on allied relations. I’d like to remind you in this connection that you have not been to our country on a state visit for a very long time," the Russian president told Karimov during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. "We communicate regularly, meet, as you often visit Russia, but such formal diplomatic things have a certain meaning and I’d like to invite you to Russia on a state visit." "Preferably, this year," Putin added, referring to the visit timeframe. "I’m not just glad, I believe it’s important," the Uzbek leader said, accepting the Russian colleague’s invitation. Putin said Moscow and Tashkent achieved serious mutual trade turnover volumes, "bearing in mind Russia’s current $6 billion investment in the Uzbek economy." According to him, the two states have been successfully and productively cooperating in international organisations. Read more