India, Uzbekistan sign 7 MoUs

Seven memoranda of understanding were signed during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official visit to Tashkent on Wednesday, according to the joint statement released after Dr Singh's meeting with Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov.

These are:

• An MoU between the two governments on establishing the Uzbekistan-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre at Tashkent;
• An MoU between the Indian ministry of petroleum and natural gas and the Uzbek national holding company Uzbekneftegaz on cooperation in the field of oil and natural gas;
• An MoU between the Indian ministry of coal and mines and the Uzbek state committee for geology and mineral resources;
• An MOU of cooperation between GAIL ( India) and Uzbekneftegaz;
• A work plan for 2007 under the MoU for cooperation in the fields of agricultural research and education between the Indian departments of agricultural research and education, the ministry of agriculture, and the Uzbek ministry of agriculture and water resources;
• An MoU between the State Trading Corporation of India and O'zbekyengilsanoat State Joint Stock Company; and
• An MoU between Delhi University and the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.

According to the statement, India has offered to set up satellite based tele-education and tele-medicine connectivity between India and Uzbekistan and to provide financial support to establish the Uzbekistan India Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Tashkent.

India also offered to establish a Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Indian Studies at the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies.

Expressing satisfaction over the results of the second meeting of the joint working group on combating international terrorism, held in October 2005 in New Delhi, the two sides decided to continue consultations between the relevant authorities to co-ordinate their anti-terrorist efforts.

The two sides also expressed their support for the government of Afghanistan to "build a strong, prosperous and independent country."

Stressing the urgent need for UN reforms, the Uzbekistan government reiterated its support for India's bid for  seat in an expanded UN Security Council. It also noted India's accession to Shanghai Cooperation Group as an observer, saying it was important factor in raising the importance of the organisation and its ability to impact positively on regional and global processes.

President Karimov also accepted Dr Singh's invitation to visit India, saying the date would be worked out shortly.