Medvedev: AES project in Uzbekistan has a strategic importance

“Construction of an atomic power station is the most important joint project of Uzbekistan and Russia,” Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.

“Undoubtedly, the project is of strategic importance. It is a significant, complicated, but decade-long base for high-tech cooperation between our countries,” Medvedev stated during the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uzbekistan in Moscow yesterday.

According to him, “this is about the transfer of large-scale technology, preparation of Uzbek experts to a wide range of opportunities. Realization of the project will move Uzbekistan to a different level of technological development.”

The Russian prime minister stressed that the sides agreed to create a new mechanism for cooperation. “It is somewhat unique - it's a joint commission of government leaders.”

“Uzbekistan today is one of our key and most promising foreign partners. There is a potential for growth in numerous areas,” he said. Medvedev also expressed his satisfaction with the dynamics of cooperation.

The head of the Russian government reminded that last year the volume of bilateral trade increased by one third and “this tendency remains the same in the first half of this year.” “The growth of mutual trade was around 32%. Russia has once again risen to the top position among Uzbekistan's trading partners, which delights us enormously,” the Prime Minister said.

Earlier it was reported that Uzbekistan and Russia agreed to build a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan.