On May 30, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Gairat Fozilov met with EU Special Representative for Central Asia Terhi Hakala and EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Ilkka Salmi. The parties discussed key aspects of interaction between Uzbekistan and the European Union, the press office of the Ministry reported to CentralAsia.news.
The interlocutors emphasised the need to expand bilateral cooperation in addressing the threats of terrorism, violent extremism, transnational crime and illegal drug trafficking.
The EU delegation highly evaluated the experience of the Republic in repatriating its citizens, in particular women and children, from conflict zones, and assisting in their social reintegration.
Particular attention was paid to cooperation in addressing the Afghanistan-related issues. In this context, the parties expressed mutual interest in fostering the dialogue on a peaceful settlement of the situation in Afghanistan. They also welcomed the outcomes of the 4th meeting of the EU and Central Asia Special Representatives and Special Envoys for Afghanistan, which took place in Ashgabat on May 26 this year.
