On Monday July 24, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon had phone talks with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
Rahmon reportedly congratulated Mirziyoyev on his birthday, wishing him health, happiness, well-being and new big successes in the implementation of state plans for the benefit of the fraternal people of Uzbekistan.
Tajik leader highlighted the significant contribution of Mirziyoyev to the steady socio-economic development of the neighboring country and strengthening its position in the international arena.
Emomali Rahmon wished progress and prosperity to the friendly Uzbekistan.
In the course of the talks, the parties reportedly also discussed separate aspects of Tajikistan-Uzbekistan strategic partnership and allied relationship.
In this context the parties emphasized their readiness for the deepening of the trust-based interstate dialogue and further fruitful development of relations of friendship and good neighborliness in accordance with the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries, the Tajik president’s official website said.
Tajik and Uzbek leaders reportedly also exchanged views on a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest.
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have accumulated many problems after collapse of the Soviet Union. These problems caused the countries' relations to go into a deep freeze two decades ago, including disputes over water and borders. The two countries had had the worst bilateral relations in Central Asia.
Relations between the countries have become warmer after Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power in Uzbekistan in 2016. Mirziyoyev has said that improving ties with Central Asian nations is a major priority of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy.
Emomali Rahmon and Shavkat Mirziyoyev have met several times since September 2016.
Earlier in April 2018, Uzbekistan's national airline resumed flights from Tashkent to Dushanbe after a hiatus of some 25 years. The air communication between Dushanbe and Tashkent was cut off in 1992 at Tashkent’s initiative and the issue of resumption of the direct air communication between the two countries has been raised at meetings between state officials of the two countries more than once.
According to data of the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in January-June this year has valued at US$121.149.6 million, which is 15.7 percent fewer than in the same period last year. This has reportedly consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Uzbekistan estimated at US$69.558.3 million and Tajikistan’s imports from Uzbekistan worth US$151.591.3 million.
