Russia's Federation Council speaker, Uzbek president discuss cooperation

TASHKENT. April 7 (Interfax) - Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have discussed bilateral cooperation, an Interfax correspondent reported.

"It was a working and constructive conversation. [...] We discussed the agenda of bilateral cooperation. We are glad that we are true allies," Matviyenko told the press after meeting with Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Tashkent.

She said she conveyed greetings from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Mirziyoyev, and Mirziyoyev asked her to convey his best regards to Putin.

The meeting with Mirziyoyev also addressed preparations for celebrating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, and Mirziyoyev confirmed that he would come to Moscow and attend the Red Square parade on May 9, Matviyenko said.

She also met with the IPU Assembly Speaker, Tanzania National Assembly Speaker Tulia Ackson on the assembly sidelines.

Ackson supported the idea of lifting any sanctions against parliamentarians, for example, via the United Nations, Matviyenko said. "These [parliamentarians] are negotiators, diplomats, people tasked with promoting peace," she said.