Uzbek president urges OTS members to sign strategic partnership agreement, facilitate trade

BISHKEK. Nov 6 (Interfax) - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has urged members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) to sign a strategic partnership agreement and increase the efficiency of economic cooperation.

"We propose that a treaty of strategic partnership, eternal friendship and brotherhood of the Turkic peoples be adopted. I believe that the drafting of this comprehensive document will bring the activity of our organization to a higher political level," Mirziyoyev said at a meeting of the OTS Council of Heads of State in Bishkek on Wednesday.

He also proposed a more effective use of economic capacities of OTS members and called for drafting specific agreements to lift tariff and non-tariff barriers, liberalize trade and customs procedures, and develop e-trade platforms.

"We think it is necessary to discuss more intensive work of the Turkic Investment Fund and to establish the Turkic Development Bank at our initiative," Mirziyoyev said.

Additionally, he called for signing a multilateral agreement on the transition to electronic paperwork in transportation and the mutual recognition of such documents in the OTS.

The OTS comprises Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Uzbekistan, while Hungary and Turkmenistan are observers.

Mirziyoyev is paying a working visit to Kyrgyzstan on November 5-6 for the OTS summit.