Central Asia, U.S. aim to build critical minerals partnership - Uzbek minister

TASHKENT. Oct 19 (Interfax) - Central Asian countries and the United States want to build a strategic partnership on critical minerals that covers exploration, processing and local industrial clusters, Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov said.

"One of our key priorities is to develop a strategic partnership on critical minerals, from geological exploration and mineral processing to building local industrial clusters," Saidov said as he opened a C5+1 meeting of foreign ministers of Central Asia and the United States in Samarkand on Monday.

He said the region has large natural resources and a strategic location, while the United States has advanced technology and investment capital.

"Our common task is to combine these strengths and build a lasting partnership that will bring real benefits to our peoples," Saidov said.

Saidov said the sides could give the C5+1 format a new strategic dimension. Cooperation with the United States should complement regional cooperation and bring long-term benefits to all participants, he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are taking part in the ministerial meeting in Samarkand. They plan to discuss regional economic connectivity, stronger energy security and joint solutions in priority areas.

The C5+1 format was set up in September 2015 to discuss regional issues between the United States and the five Central Asian countries.