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President Vladimir Putin: Dear Islam Abduganievich,

Allow me to wish you a warm welcome to Moscow. I want to thank you for responding to my invitation and coming here.

We will have the opportunity to talk on all aspects of our relations, but I would of course like to begin with the economy. I want to state from the very beginning that over the last year and a half, our trade turnover has grown by 25%. I was interested to see these latest figures, and they represent a good volume in absolute values. It is pleasing for me to state that Russia remains one of the main trade and economic partners for Uzbekistan.

And, of course, I would also like to talk with you about several international problems, on the situation not just in Central Asia, but in neighbouring countries, in Afghanistan. I know that you have a very keen perception of the situation there. The situation is developing, and it would be interesting for me to hear your opinion about this problem.

And we will of course talk in more detail about the situation in Central Asia. I want to express my condolences to you once again for the victims killed in the terrorist acts in Uzbekistan, and I would like to assure you once again that in the war with any phenomena of this kind, you can count of the full and unconditional support of Russia.