Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan met with Elyer M. Ganiev, Uzbekistan’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, on February 10, for an exchange of views on the state visit to Korea by President Islam A. Karimov scheduled for February 10-12 and on Korea-Uzbekistan relations.
Vice Prime Minister Ganiev showed satisfaction with remarkable development of relations between the two countries in politics, economy, culture and various other sectors based on solid friendship and trust between the leaders of both countries.
Minister Yu Myung-hwan extended appreciation to the Uzbek government for having already expressed support for Korea's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP18) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2012 as well as for its early decision to participate in the World Expo 2012 in Yeosu.
The two sides noted with satisfaction smooth progress of mutually-beneficial cooperative projects, including the Surgil gas-field development, new mine explorations, and the establishment of a special economic-industrial zone in Navoy, under close inter-governmental cooperation.
After the meeting, the two sides signed four arrangements on grant-aid projects: improvement of medical care for patients with infectious diseases; improvement of the heat supply system; improvement of drinking water supply; and development of techniques for salt reduction of collector-drainage water for reuse. With the signing of the said arrangements, grant aid programs for Uzbekistan will be conducted to contribute to both Uzbekistan’s economic and social development and Korea-Uzbekistan relations.
