While building relations with major powers, Uzbekistan essentially proceeds from the fact that
the development of relations with one state should not prevent the strengthening of relations with
other countries. Central Asia must become a region of dialogue and cooperation, not confrontation.
According to the Concept of Foreign Policy, Uzbekistan pursues a peaceful policy and does
not participate in military-political blocs, reserves the right to withdraw from any interstate entity in
the event of its transformation into a military-political bloc. Uzbekistan does not allow the deployment
of foreign military bases and facilities on its territory.
Second, the development of a multivariate system of transport and communication corridors,
ensuring stable access of Central Asian countries to foreign promising markets. The implementation
of major infrastructure projects in the transport and communication sectors, linking Central Asia with
the world markets, will contribute to the development of interregional trade and economic
cooperation, attracting foreign investment and advanced technologies, modernization of industrial
infrastructure.
Third, we need to fundamentally ameliorate the effectiveness of counteracting terrorism and
religious extremism. There is a necessity to put reliable barriers to the penetration of the ideology of
radicalism into the public consciousness. Today, the world community is realizing that one of the key
reasons for the radicalization of citizens is ignorance and intolerance. In this regard, the most
important task in leveling the challenges and threats of religious extremism and terrorism not only
in CA, but also in the world is to fight for the minds of people. Most crimes of extremist activity and
violence are committed by people under 30 years of age.
The core task in this course is to bring about young people with the necessary conditions for
their self-realization and to create a barrier to the spread of the "virus" of the ideology of violence. In
order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the international community's efforts, the
President of Uzbekistan at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly initiated the adoption of
the UN General Assembly resolution "Education and religious tolerance" and the development of the
UN international Convention "On youth rights".
Fourth, the conflict in Afghanistan remains one of the most acute regional and global
problems, which has been going on for almost 40 years. The involvement of more and more forces
in the conflict has led to an unprecedented escalation. It has ceased to be purely Afghan, becoming
more and more a complex international problem. The expansion of the presence of international
terrorist groups in Afghanistan, the ongoing violence and bloodshed, and the drug business – all
these speak of the inadmissibility of ignoring the situation in this country by the world community.
Fifth, the key tasks of ensuring stability in Central Asia include the settlement of problems of
equitable water use and environment in the region on the basis of international legal norms that
take into account the interests of all States in the region. Uzbekistan supports the UN draft
conventions on the use of water resources in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins.
Without appropriate consolidation, both at the regional and international levels, it is
impossible to develop an adequate response to the Aral Sea disaster.
Overall, due to its geopolitical and geostrategic importance, the region continues to be the
focus of attention of the world community. It is noteworthy that today every country in Central Asia
brings new conceptual emphasis to its policy in the region and is ready to play an active, creative
role for its development. The states of the region are more focused than ever on consolidating efforts
to improve their competitiveness on the world stage and strengthening the international political
subjectivity of the entire region. Central Asia has all the necessary conditions for dynamic and fruitful
cooperation both on a bilateral and multilateral basis.
The existence of unifying factors in almost all vital areas is a reliable basis for the further
development of regional cooperation and overcoming differences through joint efforts supported by
the desire of peoples for peace, stability and prosperity. Moreover, the states of the region are aware
that only by strengthening bilateral and multilateral ties in the region they can achieve their economic
and political goals. Today, economically prosperous and safe Central Asia is an absolute imperative
for all states in the region. Any major regional projects in the fields of transport, communications and
energy cannot be implemented without active cooperation, ensuring a high level of cooperation and
mutual political trust.
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