Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A trilateral meeting took place at the Avaza National Tourist Zone with the participation of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, and President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

During the talks, the leaders discussed further development of multilateral cooperation in trade, economy, transport, communications, energy, and humanitarian relations.

At the beginning of the meeting, President Mirziyoyev warmly congratulated Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on the successful holding of the Third UN Conference for Landlocked Developing Countries in early August. He also extended sincere congratulations to Ilham Aliyev on signing the peace declaration with Armenia in Washington.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented a series of concrete proposals to expand multilateral cooperation, emphasizing the importance of leveraging the significant transit potential of the three countries. The leaders highlighted opportunities to connect existing and prospective transport corridors to create a sustainable transcontinental route linking China with South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan.

It was noted that construction of the China–Uzbekistan railway is underway, and a memorandum has been signed with Pakistan and Afghanistan for the Trans-Afghan Corridor project. New freight flows aim to maximize the efficiency of transport infrastructure, particularly in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Support was also expressed for the development of the Middle Corridor, including the Zangezur Corridor, with plans to begin joint expert work on key issues such as increasing capacity and creating modern logistics infrastructure, including the ports of Turkmenbashi and Baku.

The meeting stressed the need for coordinated tariff policies, digitalization of procedures, and strengthened cargo flow monitoring. Uzbekistan expressed readiness to mutually reduce freight tariffs, ensuring the shortest and most business-friendly access to major markets. A consolidated approach will facilitate pragmatic engagement with states and international organizations, including potential donors for logistics infrastructure development.

Uzbekistan also emphasized interest in establishing its own ferry capacities for cargo transport across the Caspian Sea. In the energy sector, the leaders noted the need to deepen cooperation and develop corridors for energy exports, including prospective “green” energy supplies to Europe. For traditional hydrocarbons, joint exploration and development of Caspian shelf fields was proposed.

Expanding trade and industrial cooperation was identified as a priority. Over recent years, Uzbekistan’s trade with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan has doubled, with industrial goods accounting for 40 percent of the total. A joint Comprehensive Action Plan was proposed, including the development of resilient trade-logistics chains, creation of wholesale and distribution centers, access to major retail networks, harmonization of phytosanitary and quarantine standards, digital product labeling, launch of joint electronic platforms, and expanded cooperation between commodity exchanges.

In the humanitarian sphere, a trilateral program for tourism and cultural exchanges was proposed to increase tourist flows from participating and third countries, showcasing shared cultural heritage and traditions.

For practical implementation of the agreements reached, President Mirziyoyev proposed preparing a “road map” and launching a mechanism for regular joint meetings of ministers on key cooperation areas.