Swordsmyth
05-16-2018, 08:57 PM
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in the U.S. on Wednesday for the first time since he rose to power in 2016, and was welcomed personally by President Donald Trump. The high-profile reception comes as the U.S. looks to bolster economic and military ties with the country that lies to the north of Afghanistan.
"It's a great honor to have the President of Uzbekistan with us. He's a highly respected man in his country and...We've been working very closely together on different things, including trade. They've actually made investments here. We make investments there," Trump said about Mirziyoyev during a meeting in the Oval Office.
"We're working together from the standpoint of the military, including his purchase of equipment and military equipment from the United States," Trump continued.
The administration hopes that Uzbekistan will be useful in fostering peace in Afghanistan, where American troops are helping government forces fight both the Taliban and the Islamic State. Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent has been floated as a potential location for a meeting between Afghanistan’s government and the Taliban. Leaders of around 20 countries met in Tashkent in March (https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-offers-host-talks-taliban-afghanistan/29127849.html)and publicly gave their support for Afghanistan's government to negotiate with the Taliban. And leaders of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan recently signed a stack of trade agreements.
Administration officials have said that Trump will likely discuss human rights with Mirziyoyev behind closed doors. They will also focus on how to bolster military cooperation between the U.S. and Uzbekistan, including through joint military exercises and training, and on counter-terrorism operations in the region.
More at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-hosts-historic-meeting-president-170301101.html
"It's a great honor to have the President of Uzbekistan with us. He's a highly respected man in his country and...We've been working very closely together on different things, including trade. They've actually made investments here. We make investments there," Trump said about Mirziyoyev during a meeting in the Oval Office.
"We're working together from the standpoint of the military, including his purchase of equipment and military equipment from the United States," Trump continued.
The administration hopes that Uzbekistan will be useful in fostering peace in Afghanistan, where American troops are helping government forces fight both the Taliban and the Islamic State. Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent has been floated as a potential location for a meeting between Afghanistan’s government and the Taliban. Leaders of around 20 countries met in Tashkent in March (https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-offers-host-talks-taliban-afghanistan/29127849.html)and publicly gave their support for Afghanistan's government to negotiate with the Taliban. And leaders of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan recently signed a stack of trade agreements.
Administration officials have said that Trump will likely discuss human rights with Mirziyoyev behind closed doors. They will also focus on how to bolster military cooperation between the U.S. and Uzbekistan, including through joint military exercises and training, and on counter-terrorism operations in the region.
More at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-hosts-historic-meeting-president-170301101.html