KUWAIT CITY, Feb 18: President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Tuesday highly praised the efforts of His Highness Amir Sheikh Meshal Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East region. This came in a joint statement issued during the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan to the State of Kuwait on February 17-18, which came at the invitation of His Highness the Amir. During the visit, which took place in a constructive and friendly atmosphere, the leaders of the two countries agreed to expand and deepen comprehensive cooperation between their countries. President of Uzbekistan highly praised the efforts of His Highness Amir to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East, while His Highness the Amir commended the President of Uzbekistan for his efforts in strengthening peace and security, good neighborliness, and integration processes in Central Asia, according to the statement.

President Mirziyoyev and the official delegation during a tour of Kuwait’s Al-Salam Palace Museum on Monday.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, alongside senior officials, bids farewell to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the airport after his official visit on Tuesday.

The President of Uzbekistan also congratulated the State of Kuwait on assuming the presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) this year, and both sides praised the development of relations between the GCC and the counties of Central Asia. His Highness the Amir welcomed Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State and its role in advancing regional connectivity and sustainable development. The two sides welcomed the upcoming 2nd summit of the leaders of the GCC countries with the Central Asian counties in the city of Samarkand, and the Kuwaiti side, in its capacity as the current chair of the GCC, affirmed its full support for deepening cooperation between the GCC and the Central Asian Countries, in all aspects. The two sides thoroughly discussed the key aspects of Kuwait-Uzbekistan relations and identified the main directions for further development, said the joint statement. Based on the scale of cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the State of Kuwait, the two sides reaffirmed the importance of strengthening political dialogue, trade and economic relations, cultural and humanitarian exchanges, and cooperation between security, defense, and law enforcement agencies.(KUNA)