Russia among leading foreign trade partners of Uzbekistan, interested in deepening cooperation - Mishustin

TASHKENT. June 16 (Interfax) - Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has confirmed Russia's interest in new joint projects with Uzbekistan and said he was impressed by Uzbekistan's economic achievements at a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Abdulla Aripov in Tashkent.

"Uzbekistan is one of Russia's strategic partners and allies, our relations are time-tested. They are based on the principles of friendship, neighborliness, mutual respect, and account of each other's interests," Mishustin said in his opening remarks at the talks with Aripov.

Russia "is sincerely interested in deepening our trade and economic cooperation," he said, adding that Russia was among Uzbekistan's leading foreign trade partners, ranking first in terms of direct investments in the Uzbek economy.

"We have good opportunities for starting a great number of joint projects in energy, industry, transport infrastructure, agriculture and the digital economy," he said.

Mishustin highlighted the launch of construction of Uzbekistan's first nuclear power plant by Russian specialists and said that the Russian and Uzbek presidents ordered the pouring of the first concrete for the plant's first reactor unit together on June 4.

"I view the construction of the nuclear power plant as a crucial step towards strengthening Uzbekistan's energy sovereignty amid the national economy's dynamic growth. This creates yet another high-tech sector with numerous related industries and allows skilled engineers and scientists to be trained," Mishustin said.