In the opening remarks at the Tashkent Investment Forum today, the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that the situation around Ukraine "must be resolved exclusively by diplomatic means".
Shavkat Mirziyoyev welcomed the direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul. The first direct talks since 2022 took place on May 16. The only agreement that the parties reached was the exchange of prisoners of war in 1000 for 1000 formula, which took place within 10 days after the meeting. The second round of talks took place on June 2, following which the parties agreed on a new exchange in the "all for all" format.
"Today's world is going through serious tests. Threats to global security and sustainable development are growing. Geopolitical processes are rapidly changing before our eyes," the head of state noted at the beginning of his speech.
According to Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the arms race is gaining momentum in the world again, and military spending by major powers has increased 1.5 times over the past 14 years and reached $2.5 trillion. At the same time, the growth rate of global GDP continues to fall for the third year in a row.
“Unfortunately, the norms of international law and the power of diplomacy are weakening. We all see this, we know this, we feel it. This happens every day all over the world,” he said.
“The saddest thing is that attention to the most pressing problems of humanity, such as food security, poverty, climate change, is weakening. Today, more than ever, it is important to restore trust in peace, justice and human dignity. We all understand this and must act in this direction. And I am convinced that restoring this common trust in peace, justice and dignity is more important than ever, and Uzbekistan is actively moving in this direction,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.
He also called for attention to the ongoing conflict in Gaza:
"In the 21st century, many innocent people are dying before our eyes - this cannot be justified by anything. The only solution to this conflict is a fair settlement based on the UN Charter, international law and adopted resolutions. The Palestinian people have the right to their own independent state," the president emphasized.
Speaking about the situation in the region, the president focused on Afghanistan. According to him, it is important to prevent the isolation of this country:
"We believe that constructive dialogue with the current authorities of this country in the international arena and preventing its isolation are more important today than ever. We are convinced that peace and economic development in Afghanistan are a necessary factor for the long-term progress of all adjacent regions," he emphasized.
It should be noted that the investment forum is attended by Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico, President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, Chairman of the Government of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov, Prime Minister of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexander Novak, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, as well as ministers and heads of delegations from China, the United States, Arab states, Russia, the European countries, Asia and Africa. Deputy Secretary of the Security Council under the President.
The President’s Special Envoy for Foreign Policy Abdulaziz Kamilov earlier said that he calls for a full-fledged dialogue with the Taliban movement, to give them a platform to hear them and start a dialogue. According to him, Uzbekistan will recognize the interim government of Afghanistan "when the time is right", but wants to do this together with the international community.
