Lajcak in Uzbekistan Highlighted Dynamics of Co-operation in Central Asia

Tashkent/Bratislava, May 20 (TASR) - By visiting Uzbekistan Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak (a Smer-SD nominee) started his four-day trip to the Central Asian region in the post of acting chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which Slovakia is chairing in 2019, TASR learnt from the Slovak MFA's press department on Monday. Lajcak talked in Tashkent with his counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov and First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Uzbek Parliament Sodik Safoyev. In talks with the most senior Uzbek constitutional officials, Lajcak highlighted the positive dynamics of co-operation in the Central Asian region following the accession of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the post in 2016. "Uzbekistan is an important partner and contributor to dynamic co-operation. It is coming up with new initiatives in regional security that create a field also for wider involvement by the OSCE," said the Slovak minister, who in this respect appreciated the organisation's 24-year presence in the country. The head of Slovak diplomacy and the OSCE acting chairman handed over a symbolic cheque worth €10,000 as a contribution from SlovakAid to the representatives of the Afghan students' educational centre, located in the Uzbek city of Termez. He also met representatives of non-governmental organisations operating in Uzbekistan. The visit to Uzbekistan directly follows up Lajcak's journeys to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in April. His four-day programme in the Central Asian region will continue with visits to Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. am/mcs