Uzbek expert names most promising directions of bilateral cooperation between Baku and Tashkent 

“One of the most promising directions of bilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan is transportation and logistics, with the development of a stable supply chain and robust transport infrastructure, more specifically, further expansion of the potential of the Trans-Caspian international transport route (Middle corridor). This, in turn, is supposed to significantly enhance trade and economic relations between the two countries,” Uzbek expert Oleg Golishnikov told Report.

According to him, for the last several years, Uzbekistan has been conducting a proactive foreign policy, and diversification of economic and trade ties is an indispensable part of the said policy: “At its core, Uzbek foreign policy is free from ideological or dogmatic features. Instead, Uzbek foreign policy is based on pragmatic interests. Consequently, Tashkent has been bolstering and promoting pragmatic cooperation in the international arena and Central Asia specifically, with a prime focus on economic benefits. The same is true for Uzbekistan’s cooperation with many countries and international organizations, including the Organization of Turkic States, where Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan along with other Turkic countries have been full-fledged members. In my opinion, from a conceptual point of view, Tashkent is promoting so-called “transport pluralism,” where Uzbekistan seeks to increase not only its role but also the role of the whole Central Asia as a transit center for international transportation, including within such international corridors as “East-West” and “North-South.” Against this backdrop, for Tashkent, it is of pivotal importance to develop transport and logistics chains in different directions. So, along with the development of the northern (traditional) direction, Uzbekistan pays special attention to the promotion of key projects in the eastern (the “Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China” railway project), the southern (the “Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan” railway project), the western and southwestern directions (“Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran” corridor and the Trans-Caspian international transport route).”

Commenting on the current visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Azerbaijan, the expert said that it highlights the growing multifaceted ties and friendship between the two countries, between Uzbek and Azerbaijani people: “Both countries have been cooperating on many issues in different fields – trade and economy, transportation and logistics, political ties and security, culture, and people-to-people contacts, etc. I have no doubt that this cooperation will continue to grow in the long run, as both Tashkent and Baku clearly understand that there is still a huge potential for further deepening interaction in different fields, with mutual benefits for Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.”