The dialogue was initiated by Japan and Central Asian states in 2004. The first two forums were held in 2004 in Kazakhstan and in 2006 in Japan, the statement said.

Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov, Foreign Minister of Japan Katsuya Okada, State Secretary – Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabaev, Foreign Minister of Kyrgyz Republic Ruslan Kazakbaev, Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Hamrohon Zarifi and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan Sultan Pirmuhamedov attended the meeting.

The sides considered several important issues for further expanding perspective interaction within the dialogue, ensuring regional security, promoting priority economic programmes, meeting national interests of the region’s states.

At the joint press conference after the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov expressed satisfaction with the results of the Third Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the “Central Asia Plus Japan” Dialogue.

Tashkent forum summed up results of constructive works of the sides on implementation of main directions of Action Plan, adopted in the second ministers’ meeting in Tokyo in June 2006, concretized order of chairmanship at events within dialogue, new directions of regional cooperation at the support of Japan, Norov said.

“We highly rated fruitful exchange of opinions on actual issues, representing interests to the dialogue participants, including problems of ensuring regional security and stability, integration of Central Asia economy to international relations.”

“I want to note that Japan for us is global power, possessing sustainable economy and political system. This is the state without which cannot be solved any problem of international policy and global economy,” the Uzbek minister said.

Norov said: “This can serve as explanation to the fact that Uzbekistan became one of the first countries, which supported and continues to support intend of Japan to receive permanent seat at the UN Security Council.”

“The Government of Japan strived for rendering assisting to realize social-economic reforms since announcement of independence of Central Asian countries without binding own convictions and based on mentality of the region’s population and building equal faithful and friendship relations.”

Norov said: “In our opinion, priority tasks for cooperation of the Central Asian states and Japan are to boost interaction in development and implementation of mid- and long-term programmes on developing regional cooperation in such spheres as formation of modern transport-communication networks, effective use of energy resources, modernization of existing and creation of new capacities in industry and agriculture, ecology and healthcare, which are directed to serve as sustainable development factor for all Central Asian states.”

The Uzbek official said that within the “Central Asia Plus Japan” Dialogue, rich experience of Japan in participation in similar groups with other states could be successfully implemented in the Central Asian region in deepening regional cooperation, creating stable political and economic climate in Central Asia.

“We welcome assistance of Japan to Central Asian countries in ensuring security n the region and fighting modern threats such as terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking,” Norov underlined.

The Uzbek side supports efforts of Tokyo on rendering financial-technical assistance in implementing of regional projects, boosting investment partnership, which overall meet national interests of the Central Asian countries.

“I am sure that international authority and role of Japan in solving global problems, as well as experience in economic development and integration to international economy have great importance for success of interaction in the format of the “Central Asia plus Japan” format,” the minister noted.

The Uzbek official said: “I express hope that current meeting became another big step to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between Central Asian countries and Japan.”