U.S. recognizes Uzbekistan's progress in human rights and eradication of forced labor

AKIPRESS.COM - Uzbekistan is ready to further create conducive conditions for American businessmen and facilitate joint investment projects, Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov said at the briefing today in Tashkent following the talks with U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo.
The Uzbek Foreign Minister the agreement was reached on development of trade, economic, investment, scientific, technical, education cooperation.
Minister Kamilov took a note of the recognition of Uzbekistan's significant progress in religious freedom, elimination of child and forced labor, human rights protection and freedom of expression by the official Washington.
"We agreed and acknowledge with the U.S. Secretary of State that despite a big progress achieved so far, there are still issues on which we will continue our work to remove certain earlier irritating moments from the agenda of the bilateral relations," Foreign Minister Kamilov stated.
Cooperation in prevention of challenges and threats, facilitation of peaceful processes in Afghanistan were discussed among other aspects, Minister Kamilov said.
The sides agreed to step up the joint efforts to provide support to Afghanistan and connect it to trade, economic and transport networks in Central Asia, he underscored.
"I can say confidently that cooperation between our countries is on the peak of development. Our relations are developing steadily and consistently. Our further efforts will be aimed at search of mutually beneficial areas of strategic partnership," Foreign Minister Kamilov said, Gazeta.uz reports.
The bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and the United States grew by more than 60% last year - from $315 million in 2018 to $514 million in 2019.
U.S. exports to Uzbekistan grew to $482 million in November.