Uzbek President Islam Karimov said Uzbekistan welcomes active foreign policy of Kazakhstan and chairmanship in the OSCE.

During the meeting, the sides discussed issues of further developing the Uzbek-Kazakh relations in politics, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres.

After the meeting, the official delegations of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan held a meeting in expanded structure.

The sides considered issues of deepening cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in investment, agriculture, effective use of transit-transport potential. The sides exchanged opinion on international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Nazarbaev said Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have all opportunities for effective interaction in wide-range of issues. He said solid legal base was created between the states, which include 140 documents and Strategic Economic Cooperation till 2016.

The leaders confirmed mutual interest in developing mutually acceptable mechanism on joint use of water-energy resources of Central Asian region.

Presidents called to conduct international expertise of projects on construction of hydropower stations in the region, including Rogun station in Tajikistan and Kambarata in Kyrgyzstan, on their ecologic and man-caused security.

During the negotiations, the sides paid attention to situation in Afghanistan and rendering international assistance.

As the chairperson of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Kazakh head invited his Uzbek counterpart to attend the third CICA summit, which will be held in Istanbul on 7-9 June 2010.

On the result of talks, the Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbaev signed a joint statement.

Representatives of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan also inked agreement on mutual providing of land for building of diplomatic missions, programme on cooperation between Foreign Affairs Ministry of Kazakhstan and Foreign Affairs Ministry of Uzbekistan for 2010-2011, programme of cooperation between Culture Ministry of Kazakhstan and Culture and Sport Ministry of Uzbekistan for 2010-2012.

Speaking at the press-conference, Uzbek President Islam Karimov said the current official visit of Kazakhstan delegation is considered by the Uzbek side as important event in developing Uzbek-Kazakh mutually beneficial cooperation. He said the visit confirms interest of sides in strengthening relations between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Nursultan Nazarbaev said Uzbekistan is the largest country in the Central Asian region. He said the people of two countries has single root and linked with brotherhood and good neighborhood history.

Kazakhstan thanks Uzbekistan for support of chairmanship in the OSCE and holding of the OSCE Summit in Astana, Kazakh leader said.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev invited his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov to pay official visit to Kazakhstan. Islam Karimov accepted the invitation.

In the second half of the day, Nursultan Nazarbaev and Islam Karimov visited Independence and Humanism Monument, Hazrati Imam complex and Forums’ Palace.