Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Sign Alliance Declaration

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed an alliance declaration Monday, according to sources in the Kazakh presidency.

As part of his official visit to Kazakhstan, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was welcomed with a ceremony by his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Akorda Presidential Palace in the capital Nur Sultan.

A private meeting was followed by an inter-delegation meeting chaired by the presidents.

The two presidents then held a joint press conference.

Tokayev stressed that he regards Mirziyoyev's visit on the eve of the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence as a manifestation of the particular respect of the fraternal Uzbek people for the Kazakh people.

"Uzbekistan is not only a good neighbor and an important partner but also a fraternal state with which we are connected by common roots and a common destiny," he said.

Drawing attention to the improving relations between the two Central Asian Turkic states in many domains, Tokayev said the visit would give a new impetus to bilateral ties.

Underlining that Uzbekistan sees its relations with Kazakhstan as special and fraternal, Mirziyoyev said: "We have once again confirmed the similarity of interests in current issues and the commonality of our multi-faceted cooperation."

Various intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents were signed in the presence of the heads of state, including in the fields of the prevention and resolution of emergency situations, exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, electricity, trade and investment as well as the establishment of the Central Asia International Center for Industrial Cooperation, the construction of a high-speed rail line that will connect Kazakhstan's city of Turkistan to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, and a highway between Kazakhstan's city of Kyzylorda and Uzbekistan's Uchquduq city. -