Rais of Tatarstan: We are interested in development of cooperation with Karakalpakstan

On 10 July in the Kazan Kremlin the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov had a meeting with the Chairman of the Karakalpakstan Supreme Council (Parliament) Amanbai Orynbaev.

Amanbai Orynbaev already visited Tatarstan as the head of the delegation of his country to the third Forum of Inter-regional Cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan held in Kazan in October 2023 and in November of the same year Rustam Minnikhanov paid a visit to Karakalpakstan, and, speaking at the meeting, he said: “I would like to thank you for your attention to the development of cooperation of our republics aimed at strengthening Russia-Uzbekistan relations. In the end of May this year I and you took part in the Forum of regions in Tashkent where we signed an agreement on cooperation between our regions. I am sure this document will make it possible to strengthen ties between Tatarstan and Karakalpakstan. We are already developing our inter-parliamentary interaction.”

Having listed visits of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Kazan and of delegations of the republic to Uzbekistan regions, Rustam Minnikhanov emphasized that last year the Tatarstan-Uzbekisatn trade turnover made 370m US dollars having demonstrated the growth of 27 per cent. “We should continue increasing the amount and the range of reciprocal deliveries of goods and services. We have everything necessary for this,” he added.

The Rais of Tatarstan reminded about the General Consulate of Uzbekistan working successfully in Kazan and the representative office of the republic in Tashkent. He also said that direct flights from Kazan to Tashkent, Fergana and Samarkand and a number of agreements and memoranda being implemented in both republics facilitate strengthening of business contacts and tourist ties. Having mentioned already working chemical-industrial parks Chirchik and Djizak and the new industrial parks under implementation in Navoi and Bukhara, Rustam Minnikhanov said: “These landmark joint projects are a good contribution into partnership of our countries.”

He put special emphasis of development of cooperation in the spheres of culture, tourism, sports, science and education with more than 2 500 Uzbek students studying at universities of Tatarstan, and also mentioned international events hosted by Kazan.

”I am sure your current visit to Tatarstan will facilitate further development of our interaction. We should move to concrete practical activities,” the Rais of the republic concluded. 

In his turn Amanbai Orynbaev thanked for the high level of organization of the visit of the delegation to Tatarstan. “We can see progressive growth of mutually beneficial cooperation between Tatarstan and Uzbekistan in various spheres, such as economy, industry and agriculture. We hope that the current visit will open new opportunities for further strengthening of cooperation,” he said. 

The Chairman of the Karakalpakstan Supreme Council stated IT and exchange of experience in development of industrial sites such as the special economic zone of Alabuga as promising spheres for cooperation.