Organization of Turkic states holds a meeting in Tashkent

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) needs to boost trade among member states. This goal might be achieved through the common space of new economic opportunities, according to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. He made this statement during the OTS summit. 

«We need to strengthen the very basis of our trade and economic cooperation. Now this trade only accounts for 4% of the entire volume of trade in the OTS member states. Of course, none of us is happy with this situation. Moreover, our mutual trade is still limited by high customs duties,» said the president.

In order to improve the situation and boost the development of trade, investments and services, Uzbekistan is proposing the creation of a common space of economic opportunities in OTS, Mirziyoyev noted.

«We need an international economic forum with representatives from the OTS member states, observers and business community to meet each year to bring this plan to life. I think that direct contact between governments and businesses, open discussions and presentations within such a forum will be very useful. After such a forum we may develop a road map and work on these tasks together,» he highlighted.

Among other international leaders who attended the OTS summit in Samarkand are President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, Speaker of Turkmenistan’s parliament Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, and Prime Minister of Hungary Victor Orban.