Speaking at the official dinner, UN chief said: “We also appreciate Uzbekistan's important role in the peace and stability in Central Asia, including the Central Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone”.

“With respect to human rights, I'd like to emphasize the importance of a robust civil society in advancing social well-being and economic prosperity,” he said.

The Millennium Development Goals are a map to human progress and economic prosperity, Ban Ki-Moon said. “You are advancing especially on education and women and children's health”.

“It is important that Uzbekistan and other nations of the region do their utmost to meet the goals by 2015”, he added.

“That is why we will hold a Millennium Goals summit meeting in September in New York. Today, I'd like to invite President Karimov to attend personally. I look forward to his joining us to push the pace of human progress,” the UN Secretary General said.