BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed a roadmap to accelerate the creation of the Central Asia International Industrial Cooperation Center, Trend reports via the Office of Kazakhstan's Prime Minister.
The document was signed following the 20th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Tashkent, which was held with the participation of Kazakh and Uzbek PMs Alikhan Smailov and Abdulla Aripov.
At the meeting, Smailov noted that about 80 percent of all trade in Central Asia accounts for by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with significant prospects for expanding cooperation in agriculture, particularly in increasing mutual trade in the agro-industrial and food sectors, as well as further developing industrial cooperation.
An important aspect of this is Central Asia International Industrial Cooperation Center, he said.
In addition, Smailov said that the further development of trade relations requires the modernization of transit-transport infrastructure.
The PMs expressed interest in increasing the capacity of the China-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan route, which will allow for several major railway projects, including the Darbaza-Maktaaral line, bypassing Almaty, and the development of the Dostyk station.
Aripov, in turn, highlighted the strategic partnership and alliance principles underpinning Kazakh-Uzbek relations, with about 1,200 Kazakh-capital companies operating in Uzbekistan.
