19 Oct 2018 16:13

Projects between Russia, Uzbekistan to exceed $25 bln at initial stage - Putin

TASHKENT. Oct 19 (Interfax) - The cooperation program between Russia and Uzbekistan will be worth more than $25 billion at the initial stage, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"As you noted, we have prepared an extensive cooperation program in a variety of areas, the first stage of which amounts to $25 billion. But if we implement it - and I have no doubt that we will - the cumulative effect will be much greater because it is going to generate profit, create new and highly productive jobs and open up new opportunities for cooperation," according to a transcript, poste don the Kremlin's website, of Putin's remarks at talks in an expanded format between Russia and Uzbekistan.

"We also note that of late, Uzbekistan has been undergoing serious changes, which make it possible to take our cooperation to an absolutely new level. I am primarily referring to the transformations that you are carrying out in Uzbekistan's economy. I am absolutely sure that before long this will have a tangible impact on the living standards of Uzbekistan's citizens," he said.

"For our part, we intend to develop our relations further and, of course, the $5 billion-6 billion in trade turnover, which we mentioned earlier, are not our final goal. We can say that, given the conditions you are creating for Russian economic operators in Uzbekistan, it is just a start, just the beginning," he said.