President Receives Credentials from Ambassadors

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received credentials from the newly appointed Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia, Arab Republic of Egypt and the French Republic – Mohamad Asruhin, Muhammad Abdulqadir al-Hashshab and François Gauthier, respectively, according to the report by President’s Press-Service.

President has congratulated the high-ranking diplomats on their appointment to the prominent and honorable post, wished best of luck in successful implementation of their missions. The Uzbek Leader also underscored the progress in mutual relations between Uzbekistan and these nations.

Indonesia was among the first to have President Karimov visit the country in the wake of Uzbekistan’s independence. The bilateral relations built back then on mutual confidence, respect and interest, have been consistently expanding today in many areas.

The Uzbek-Indonesian cooperation has been distinct with similarity of views on a number of political issues and with a mutually beneficial economic partnership. Delegations at various levels and business forums have regularly been exchanged. Foreign ministries of the two nations have been accustomed at holding consultations on pressing issues of modern development.

“Uzbekistan is a country with a robust and a persistently developing economy”, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia Mohamad Asruhin said. “An encouraging investment climate, preferences and privileges for doing business created in your country attract foreign business circles to Uzbekistan. In this respect, I would like to place a particular weight on working out and implementing major investment projects between our nations”.

The relations between Uzbekistan and Egypt have been dynamic in trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres, and also within international and regional institutions such as the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). Numerous joint projects are being developed effectively, contributing to the enhancement of bilateral investment cooperation and regular contacts among business people.

Uzbekistan is rightly considered to be a historic center of culture and statehood in Maverannahr, while Egypt is regarded so in the Middle East. The outstanding thinkers of now Uzbek land made a great input into the development of world civilization and culture.

In particular, our great ancestor Ahmad al-Farghoniy invented a device to measure the water level in the Nile, known as Miqyos-an-Nil that testifies to the highest extent of scientific and cultural progress of our peoples. The Egyptians still use that edifice, according to the report.

During President Islam Karimov’s state visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt in 2007, a monument to Ahmad al-Farghoniy was opened beside the Miqyosi Nile complex, with a deep symbolic meaning.

Egypt’s Ambassador Muhammad Abdulqadir al-Hashshab gave his high appraisal of the level and current state of Uzbek-Egyptian relations and expressed interest in fostering bilateral cooperation in various sectors of economy.

“The relations between our people in many areas have rather deep historical roots. We are willing to do our best to put the goals and tasks outlined in bilateral documents into practice”, the Egyptian ambassador pointed out.

Uzbekistan has also been effectively developing cooperation with the French Republic. Bilateral ties have been set in motion to boost mutual interaction. In particular, a regular session of the Uzbek-French intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation was held July 1. Our countries have mutually employed a most favorable nation regime in the economic sphere.

The volume of trade turnover between Uzbekistan and France amounted to 189.6 million US dollars in 2009. Fifteen joint ventures are created in our country with the participation of French investors.

The volume of French capital in the Uzbek economy has been increasing every year. It is designed to attract more than 600 firms and associations in industrial production, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, tourism, hotel business, transport, healthcare and other spheres.

“Cooperation between Uzbekistan and France in trade-economic and investment areas has an enormous potential,” Ambassador François Gauthier said. “The high intellectual capacities of Uzbek people serve to further and bolster our mutual relations in many dimensions. I intend to keep placing a special emphasis on these issues during my mission.”