Mikhail Myasnikovich, Chairman of the Board of the
Eurasian Economic Commission, and Botirjon Asadov, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Russian Federation,
discussed further steps to develop cooperation and action plan amid granting
the Republic of Uzbekistan the Observer State status at the Eurasian Economic
Union on December 17 at the EEC’s headquarters in Moscow.
Mikhail Myasnikovich has congratulated the Ambassador
of Uzbekistan on gaining the Observer State status at the EAEU. This decision
was adopted by the Heads of the Union Member States at a meeting of the Supreme
Eurasian Economic Council held on December 11.
The Chairman of the EEC Board has noted the importance
of establishing cooperative supplies and developing trade turnover. "In
2016-2019, the EAEU countries’ trade turnover with Uzbekistan increased by
three times. This year it has increased by 4.9%. I believe we should continue
moving in this direction," Mikhail Myasnikovich stated.
"Uzbekistan keeps track of the Eurasian Economic
Union’s activities and the Eurasian integration development with great interest
and we sincerely hope that Uzbekistan's gaining the Observer State status at
the EAEU will enable moving to a new level of dialogue and cooperation,
all that is lacking is to work," stressed Botirjon Asadov for his part.
The sides have also agreed to draft a joint memorandum
of cooperation, which will provide a basis for substantive interaction on
issues of mutual interest.
For reference
The Observer State status at the Union is contemplated
by the Treaty on the EAEU. In 2018, this status was granted to the Republic of
Moldova and it was granted to the Republic of Cuba within the Supreme Eurasian
Economic Council’s meeting held on December 11.
The Observer State may send its representative
authorized to interact with the EEC on a regular basis to the place of stay of
the Eurasian Economic Commission, including to participate, by invitation, in
meetings of the EEC Council and the Board.
It is also possible for the Head of State and
Government of the Observer State to attend, by invitation, meetings of the
Supreme Council and the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.
The State being granted the Observer status is
obliged to refrain from any actions that may prejudice interests of the Union
and its Member States as well as objectives of the Treaty on the EAEU.
Uzbekistan is actively expanding trade and economic
cooperation with the EAEU countries. For example, the total trade turnover of
Uzbekistan with the Member States increased by 2 times from 4.5 bln dollars to
9.1 bln dollars in 2016-2019. Nowadays, the EAEU share in Uzbekistan's foreign
trade amounts to 30% and the volume of agricultural export exceeds 75%.
The foreign trade
turnover of Uzbekistan is 22.9 bln dollars, including export amounting to 11.5
bln dollars (of which about 20% is accounted for by the EAEU countries) and
import amounting to 11.4 bln dollars (about 55% from the EAEU countries).