He said Uzbekistan has always been a strategic partner of Russia, despite its withdrawal from the Collective Security Treaty Organization in 2012.

“Our bilateral alliance enshrined in international legal terms. We believe that the new president and the new government of Uzbekistan clearly aimed at ensuring the continuity of the relationship. We welcome it,” Lavrov added.

“We also expect that additional opportunities for the deepening of relations between Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation and with its other neighbors, including multilateral structures, will be used in the interests of all our countries”, Sergei Lavrov said.