Результаты конференции 19-sentabr | Page 25

Statement of the Head of Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Nodir Ganiev Dear Mr. State Minister Annen, Dear Regional Director of the Ebert Foundation, Ms. Kiefer, Dear participants of the event, Ladies and gentlemen! Let me sincerely welcome you and all the participants of our round table and express our gratitude to Friedrich Ebert Foundation for organizing and holding today's event. 1. Uzbekistan highly appreciates friendly relations with Germany, which is our priority partner in Europe. During the years of independent development, Uzbekistan feels the real assistance of the German side in the implementation of large-scale political, legal and socio- economic reforms in the Republic. We are interested in continuing the political dialogue with Germany, primarily, at the highest level. In modern conditions, contacts between the heads of states are of particular importance in terms of expanding bilateral relations and interaction at the international level. In our opinion, this is not only in the fundamental interests of Uzbekistan, but Germany. In this regard, at present, the parties are working on the organization of the exchange of visits at the highest level in 2019. 2. In Uzbekistan in the last two years, fundamental changes have taken place, aimed at the further and comprehensive democratic development of our country. The Uzbek government implemented the Action for Strategy in 2017-2021. This concept paper provides for further modernization of public administration, reforms of the judicial and legal system, liberalization of the economy, reforms in the social sector, as well security and foreign policy of the country. 3. Today’s realities confirm the need for a deeper understanding of the principle of the indivisibility of security. Terrorist acts committed. In recent years, countries in Europe, including Germany, and other parts of the world have been demanding more active joint actions against international terrorism, radical extremism and other transnational threats that have no national borders. We must jointly take proactive measures to combat these challenges, identify and eliminate the causes and conditions that contribute to their occurrence and spread. The Uzbek side assumes that security cooperation occupies a special place in relations between the two countries. Germany occupies a leading position in the formulation and implementation of a common European security and defense policy and is active in this field in the international area. In turn, Uzbekistan attaches priority to strengthening stability and security in Central Asia. 25