The European Union (EU) reiterated its desire on Monday to pursue a comprehensive dialogue with Uzbekistan in a number of areas and expressed the hope for further cooperation with it on the implementation of the EU Strategy on Central Asia.

"The EU is ready to develop substantial political dialogue and to strengthen cooperation with Uzbekistan in all the areas identified in the Strategy," said a conclusion adopted by the ongoing two-day meeting of EU foreign ministers starting Monday.

The areas include judicial reform, education, trade and economic reform, energy, climate change and water management and security, human rights as well as important international issues.

The meeting also welcomed the willingness of the Uzbek authorities to engage in dialogue with the EU, and the positive developments which occurred in EU-Uzbek relations this year.

The two sides held two rounds of experts’ talks on the Andijan events and the first round of a human rights dialogue in 2007.

In the meantime, the meeting decided to renew for one year the arms embargo the EU imposed against Uzbekistan in November 2005 following the Andijan events in May 2005.