TASHKENT, 6 April. /UZINFORM/. President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov met with Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, in Oqsaroy on April 5.

Welcoming the guest, the head of state pointed out the high level of rewarding cooperation of the republic with the UN on a number of critical areas of regional development.

“Mr Secretary General, I consider your visit to the region, including Uzbekistan, a landmark occasion and evidence to immense concern of the UN with our region. The visit constitutes a fine opportunity to identify the issues in providing for stability and security, sustainable development, use of water and energy as well as mineral resources, protection of environment, and many other subjects that bother the peoples in the region,” said the head of nation, reports Press Service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The UN leader put in his turn: “I am delighted to work with my Uzbek colleagues in addressing the common issues on agenda between Uzbekistan and our Organization. When having a flight trip over the Aral Sea, I personally got convinced of the extent of adverse impact this disaster has had on the region’s entire ecosystem. I met with people living in this area of environmental devastation. It is hard to underestimate the challenges the whole region has faced.

“I greatly welcome Uzbekistan’s presidency in Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is indisputably essential in maintaining the peace, security, and addressing the numerous pressing regional and international issues.”
Critical in cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United Nations are issues of countering current threats and challenges, mitigating the impact of environmental degradation and Aral Sea catastrophe, as well as various other topics of contemporary international relations. Our republic has elaborated a number of initiatives with regard to settling the conflict in the neighboring Afghanistan and has provided practical assistance in the implementation of various UN programs on socio-economic reconstruction of that country.

With the initiative of Uzbekistan as the country presiding currently at Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the UN General Assembly approved last December a Resolution on Cooperation between the UN and SCO. Effective combination of colossal experience and capacities of international organizations of such class is expected to create new prospects in ensuring international and regional security.

At the meeting in Oqsaroy, Ban Ki-moon thanked the head of our state for the warm welcome, stressing in particular the interest of the UN in consolidating its cooperation with Uzbekistan. UN Secretary General expressed his high acclaim of the steady and constructive approach of our nation’s leadership to addressing the pressing issues of regional and international development.

As an outcome of this meeting between President Islam Karimov and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Joint Declaration on Cooperation between Secretariats of the United Nations and Shanghai Cooperation Organization is signed.

UZINFORM