Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has emphasised the importance of strengthening and institutionalising strategic cooperation between Türkiye and Uzbekistan during a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov, in Tashkent.
Fidan highlighted the significance of bolstering ties, not only for both countries but also for the wider Turkic world.
"There is a great will from our leaders to institutionalise the cooperation and take it further," said Fidan on Thurday, calling for enhanced collaboration to address modern challenges.
The talks followed the third meeting of the Türkiye-Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, held in Ankara in June, which Fidan described as a "historic turning point."
He said the meeting resulted in important decisions aimed at advancing bilateral relations.
‘Road Map’ for cooperation
Fidan, along with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya and National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) Chief Ibrahim Kalin, met their counterparts in the Uzbek capital, marking the first trilateral meeting of its kind.
During the trilateral meeting, an agreement, the Road Map, was signed, marking a significant step toward the institutionalisation of cooperation between the two countries, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
The roadmap outlines specific actions in "political cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy, trade and investment, defence and security, and cultural and humanitarian fields," the ministry said in a statement.
Key topics in the meeting included "joint efforts against terrorism and extremism, irregular migration, and smuggling."
The Turkish interior minister met with his Uzbek counterpart, Pulat Bobojonov, and discussed strengthening relations between the ministries, with a focus on fighting terrorism, migration management and cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
"Our work and cooperation with our sister country Uzbekistan will continue to grow," said Yerlikaya, expressing Türkiye's commitment to strengthening ties.
