Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Samarkand on October 19 to discuss bilateral relations, trade, investment and regional security.
According to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting took place on the sidelines of the C5+1 ministerial meeting involving the United States and the five Central Asian countries.
The two sides expressed interest in strengthening their partnership and expanding trade, economic and investment cooperation. They also exchanged views on regional security, stability and sustainable development in Central Asia.
C5+1 talks focus on critical minerals and regional cooperation
The foreign ministers of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan met with Rubio to discuss regional cooperation, economic connectivity, energy security and responses to shared challenges.
According to Interfax, Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov said the countries aimed to develop a strategic partnership with the United States on critical minerals, covering geological exploration, processing and the creation of local industrial clusters.
Saidov said Central Asia’s natural resources and strategic location could complement US technology and investment capital, bringing long-term benefits to all participants.
The C5+1 format was established in September 2015 to facilitate dialogue between Washington and the five Central Asian states.
Rubio expects billion-dollar deals
Rubio said the United States expected to conclude deals worth billions of dollars following his visit to Central Asia. Speaking to journalists in Samarkand, he noted that nearly 300 representatives of US companies interested in expanding economic cooperation had arrived in the city.
He said Washington sought to strengthen trade and investment ties with Uzbekistan and other countries in the region. However, the specific agreements expected to be signed have not yet been disclosed.
Rubio arrived in Samarkand on October 18. The C5+1 ministerial meeting took place on October 19.