President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban agreed to increase the level of relations between the two countries before the expanded strategic partnership.
According to the statement of the Office of the President of Uzbekistan, Mirziyoyev met with Orban in Hungary, where he arrived to participate in the informal summit of the organization of Turkic states.
The parties discussed issues of strengthening strategic partnership and multilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and Hungary, expressing satisfaction with a stable development of constructive interaction in all areas.
Mirziyoyev and Orban emphasized the importance of the further development of trade and economic ties in order to increase bilateral trade to 500 million euros at the first stage, and also agreed to expand cooperation in the banking and financial spheres.
The creation of a special industrial zone for European enterprises was discussed in Uzbekistan. Within the framework of this, an agreement was reached on the preparation and approval of the investment program at a meeting of the intergovernmental mixed economic commission, which will be held in July in Budapest.
Leaders agreed to resume the activities of the Uzbek-Hungarian business council and hold an expanded meeting in the near future with the participation of business representatives. In addition, they discussed the preparation of the Second Interregional Forum in Hungary in order to develop ties between the regions of the two countries.
Issues of resuming direct flights between Hungary and Uzbekistan to stimulate tourism and cultural exchange were also considered. Particular attention was paid to the development of cooperation in the field of education, including the launch of mutual student exchanges.
In addition, the leaders discussed the possibility of opening branches of Hungarian universities in Uzbekistan and agreed on the third forum of rector of Uzbekistan and Hungary this year in Tashkent.
Mirziyoyev and Orban were instructed to specialized ministries to prepare a joint road map to control the implementation of the agreements reached, confirming the intention to bring relationships between Uzbekistan and Hungary to the level of expanded strategic partnership.