Russia prime minister to visit Uzbekistan

MOSCOW, July 22 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Uzbekistan before November to discuss the activation of trade and economic relations.

"After this visit, a meeting of the inter-governmental commission will be held in Moscow in November on all matters of bilateral relations of Russia and Uzbekistan," Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said at a meeting of the Russian government presidium meeting on Monday.

Ivanov said all current bilateral relations and cooperation in the fuel and energy sphere had been analyzed during his recent visit toTashkent.

"Trade is increasing, and the activity in Uzbekistan of Gazprom,LUKOIL and other companies helps this," he said.

Industrial cooperation and investment agreements were discussed at a meeting of co-chairmen of the inter-governmental commission in Tashkent, in particular possibilities for the integration of Uzbekistan's state-owned Chkalov Aviation Production Association in Russia's Unified Aircraft Corporation.

Trade between Russia and Uzbekistan has increased by 10 percent over the five months of this year, Ivanov said.