Latvian speaker pledges to promote closer cooperation between EU, Uzbekistan

Latvia will continue to promote closer cooperation between the European Union (EU) and Uzbekistan in various areas, Latvian parliamentary speaker Inara Murniece told visiting Uzbekistan's Senate speaker Nigmatilla Yuldashev.

During their meeting in Riga on Tuesday, both Murniece and Yuldashev praised friendly relations, extensive cooperation and active political ties between their countries, including on the parliamentary level, the Latvian parliamentary press service informed.

While discussing successful economic cooperation between Latvia and Uzbekistan, the officials agreed that transport was one of the most important areas of cooperation, with Murniece noting the Tashkent-Riga-New York airline route as a good cooperation example.

"Uzbekistan is an important trade partner of Latvia," Murniece said, hailing Uzbekistan's reform plans aimed at improving the Central Asian country's business and investment climate.

The Latvian parliamentary speaker also addressed cooperation on education as Uzbekistan is a leading country that provides foreign students to Latvia's higher education institutions.

Yuldashev thanked Latvia for its efforts in promoting the EU's cooperation with Central Asian countries and invited Murniece to visit Uzbekistan.

Yuldashev is visiting Latvia from Monday to Thursday. Endit