President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered press statements in Tashkent on August 23.

The President of Uzbekistan made the statement first.

Statement by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev

- Dear Ilham Heydarovich,

Dear representatives of the mass media,

I am very pleased to once again sincerely welcome, in your presence, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, my dear brother, esteemed Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev, and all members of the Azerbaijani delegation to hospitable Uzbekistan.

The current state visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan is, without exaggeration, of historic significance. We have spoken about this several times today, because everything we sign and every agreement we reach represents a historic milestone in bilateral cooperation. Today, we signed the Treaty on Eternal Friendship. Just imagine the level to which our relations have reached between our regions, businesses, governments and parliaments. This is not simply a document; it reflects our shared commitment to deepening cooperation, expanding opportunities for interaction and building a common future.

Dear friends,

We in Uzbekistan always sincerely rejoice in every success of brotherly Azerbaijan, its sustainable economic development and growing international standing. I would particularly like to highlight the determination of President Ilham Heydarovich’s political course, thanks to which the country's territorial integrity was restored and long-awaited peace and stability were achieved. The ancient land of Garabagh is being revived. Social infrastructure is being actively developed, while jobs and enterprises are being created. Everything is being done to ensure the return of people to a peaceful and prosperous life. Azerbaijan is our reliable ally, strategic partner and brotherly state. Our relations are based on a shared civilizational code, common historical roots, centuries-old friendship, enduring spiritual values, and similar cultures and traditions. It is precisely this profound bond that makes our relations solid and resilient to external circumstances.

Dear journalists,

The current summit was preceded by extensive preparatory work. Productive meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission, the Business Council and the Regional Forum were held. We have just held the main event of the state visit — the third meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council — where we adopted very important decisions, discussed in detail the entire spectrum of our multifaceted relations, and heard reports from members of the two delegations on key areas. First and foremost, these include trade, industrial cooperation, energy, transport, culture and other areas. We agreed to strengthen political dialogue and maintain active contacts between our parliaments and governments, sectoral agencies and regions. Priority attention was given to economic issues, and we discussed the possibility of increasing trade turnover to $1 billion. But we agreed that this is not the limit and that the figure can be expanded severalfold.

We will do this. Our teams have all the necessary calculations, resources and authority. Today, we adopted a corresponding program with specific measures to achieve this important target. We also identified new growth points for industrial cooperation, primarily in sectors where our economies complement each other. A substantial portfolio of cooperation projects in energy, geology, chemicals, construction, finance, agriculture and other sectors has been developed for this visit.

The investment fund established several years ago plays an important role in advancing these projects. In a short period of time, it has become an effective mechanism for supporting our joint business initiatives. We also agreed to make maximum use of the potential of our regions. They are the driving force behind the expansion of trade and economic cooperation. To this end, the mayors of the city of Tashkent and the Bukhara and Namangan regions visited Azerbaijan this month. They are here today. I want to tell you honestly that they have been telling me about their work, and I am very pleased, Ilham Heydarovich, that they have achieved tangible results.

Another important area of cooperation is transport and transit. We will jointly develop the potential of the Trans-Caspian Corridor, improve the efficiency of logistics infrastructure and promote transportation. To this end, we will intensify efforts to establish a joint fleet in the Caspian Sea.

Close cultural and humanitarian ties serve as a reliable bridge of friendship between our peoples. Together with Ilham Heydarovich, we will inaugurate the new building of the Nizami Ganjavi Pedagogical University.

You know, I had been planning this for a very long time because the university was established in 1935, but it was located in different parts of Tashkent and no longer met modern standards. When I laid the foundation stone, I hoped that we would definitely inaugurate it together with Ilham Heydarovich, and today this historic event will become a reality. We will also launch the construction of the Azerbaijan Park in New Tashkent. I am confident that these facilities will become vivid symbols of the unbreakable brotherhood and deepening ties between our peoples.