Rustam Minnikhanov meets the active of Tatar community organizations of Uzbekistan in Samarkand

On November 25, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, who arrived on a two-day working visit in Uzbekistan, had a meeting the active of Tatar community organizations of Uzbekistan in Samarkand.

Khokim of Samarkand region Erkinjon Turdimov took part in this meeting moderated by Deputy Prime Minister of the republic - Chairman of the National Council of World Congress of the Tatars Vasil Shaikhraziev.

Welcoming the gathered representatives of the Tatar community organizations of Uzbekistan, Tatarstan President noted that he was very glad to be again on the hospitable Uzbek land.

Minnikhanov also said that today the largest number of Tatars outside the Russian Federation live in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

To date, the number of Tatars in Uzbekistan amounts to 300,000, which makes about one per cent of the total population of the country. The largest diasporas of the Tatars of Uzbekistan live in the Tashkent and Samarkand regions.

Minnikhanov briefed about the socio-economic development of Tatarstan and plans to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the TASSR (the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic). He also informed about the cooperation between Tatarstan and Uzbekistan and expressed confidence that compatriots will fully support this issue. During the meeting, the chairman of the Samarkand regional cultural centre of the Tatars and Bashkirs "Umyrzaya" Akhmed Subkhankulov and activists of the centre Ruslan Amirov and Rafael Valiev informed about the activities of the Tatars of the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan.

Minnikhanov thanked the Tatars of Uzbekistan for their active life position and handed in the Letters of Gratitude of the President of Tatarstan to the most distinguished members of the community.