Tashkent, (TDI): Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has emphasized the significance of strengthening and institutionalising strategic cooperation between Türkiye and Uzbekistan.
During a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Bakhtiyor Saidov in Tashkent, Fidan highlighted the importance of reinforcing ties not only for the two countries but also for the broader Turkic world.
“There is a great will from our leaders to institutionalise the cooperation and take it further,” he remarked, advocating enhanced collaboration to tackle contemporary challenges.
The discussions followed the third meeting of the Türkiye-Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, which took place in Ankara in June.
Fidan described the meeting as a “historic turning point,” noting that it had led to significant decisions aimed at advancing bilateral relations.
During the visit to Tashkent, Fidan was accompanied by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya and National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) Chief Ibrahim Kalin.
They held talks with their Uzbek counterparts in what marked the first trilateral meeting of its kind.
The meeting saw the signing of a “Road Map” agreement, a key step towards institutionalising cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
The roadmap outlines specific measures in areas including “political cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy, trade and investment, defence and security, and cultural and humanitarian fields.”
Key Issues Discussed
Key topics discussed during the talks included joint efforts against terrorism and extremism, irregular migration, and smuggling.
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Turkish Interior Minister Yerlikaya, who met with his Uzbek counterpart, Pulat Bobojonov, focused on strengthening relations between the ministries, particularly in the fight against terrorism, migration management, and cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
“Our work and cooperation with our sister country Uzbekistan will continue to grow,” Yerlikaya stated, reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to deepening ties.
