Representative of ministries and departments, firms and companies of two states, responsible for foreign economic relations, trade, oil and gas, water and agriculture, healthcare, chemistry, transport, tourism and others, participated at the forum.

During the forum, the Spanish side received information on priority directions of attracting investments into economy of Uzbekistan, ongoing privatization processes, reforms in development of small and private entrepreneurship, preferences and opportunities at Navoi free industrial and economic zone.

Jesus Banegas, vice-president of Spain Entrepreneurs and Industry Confederation, said that Spain is interested in gradual development of relations with Uzbekistan, which is leading state in Central Asia. He added that in future Spain is planning to develop and implement projects of mutual interest.

Business circles of Uzbekistan and Spain exchanged opinion on priority directions of trade-economic, industrial and scientific-technical cooperation. The sides discussed issues of further expanding ties in trade, transport, oil and gas, agriculture, machinery, tourism, attracting Spanish businesses in privatization processes in Uzbekistan, etc.

After the business forums, the entrepreneurs of two states held a cooperation exchange to establish cooperation.

The delegation of Spain also visited several ministries and departments of Uzbekistan and held talks on further fostering cooperation, UzA reported.

According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, trade turnover between two states made up US$13.7 million in nine months of 2010 against US$10.5 million in the same period of 2009.