Uzbekistan stands for the formation of a full-fledged free trade zone in the CIS area without any exceptions and limitations. 

This was stated by the Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at a meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of State, podrobno.uz reported.

"I would like to note that since the beginning of the year the trade between Uzbekistan and the CIS countries has increased by more than 20 percent. Uzbekistan is also interested in implementing new concrete projects in the trade, investment, innovation and financial spheres with the CIS member countries. We are ready to jointly develop venture projects and industrial zones," he said.

Transport and communications, the development of an effective integrated transport system in the Commonwealth space, the fullest utilization of the region's huge transit potential are strategically important areas, according to Mirziyoyev.

The key aspects of this work, he believes, should be the improvement of administrative procedures and regulations, mutual provision of preferences for transportation and transit of goods.

The Commonwealth countries have great prospects in the sphere of tourism, according to the Uzbek leader.

"In our opinion, the vast opportunities and enormous tourism potential, unfortunately, are still not fully utilized. For a joint analysis of the implementation of the Strategy for the development of cooperation of the CIS member states in the field of tourism for the period up to 2020 and the development of a plan of concrete actions we are ready to host one of the regular sessions of the Commonwealth Tourism Council in Samarkand," he said.

The expansion of applied scientific and technical cooperation and educational exchange will not be left aside, according to Mirziyoyev.

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a free association of sovereign states formed in 1991 by Russia and 11 other republics that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. The organization coordinates its members’ policies regarding their economies, defense, immigration policies, environmental protection, and law enforcement.

The CIS united Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. However, in 2008 Georgia withdrew its membership.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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