Agreements, reached at negotiations of 26 April between Ukraine and Uzbekistan will give a fresh impetus to cooperation between the countries, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov said at the meeting with Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych.

The Uzbek president estimated Victor Yanukovych’s visit to Uzbekistan as a prove of good relations between Ukraine and Uzbekistan, based on parity and mutual trust.

The parties stated the bilateral trade turnover to see rapid development. Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Ukraine rose by 86% year-on-year to US$615.3 million in 2006. Uzbek-Ukrainian trade turnover in January-February 2007 made up US$80 million.

Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych also met with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyayev. It was stressed at the meeting, the Ukrainian -Uzbek relations have huge potential. Over 40 Uzbek-Ukrainian joint enterprises are operating in Uzbekistan in the sectors of food industry, furniture, textile, chemical industry and building. Over 26 joint companies with Uzbek capital are based in Ukraine.

The parties stressed interest in cooperation in all the sectors.

According to the PM’s Councillor, ex-Foreign Trade Minister Andriy Honcharuk, Ukraine and Uzbekistan are the only countries to see duty-free bipartite trade.

Andriy Honcharuk also noted that duty was imposed on tobacco, sugar, alcohol and pharmacy export, Ukrinform reported.

Ukraine also contemplates to provide Uzbekistan with its warehouses facilities for transit of copper and wool, he stressed.