Photo: Saida Mirziyoyeva / Telegram
US secretary of state Marco Rubio arrived in Samarkand with his wife on Sunday evening, marking his first visit to Central Asia. On Monday, the city will host C5+1 talks between Rubio and regional foreign ministers, as well as the second meeting of US-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio arrived in Samarkand with his wife on Sunday evening, marking his first visit to Central Asia.
He was welcomed at the airport by head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva, foreign minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, the US president’s special envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor, US ambassador Jonathan Henick and head of Samarkand region’s administration.
“I am pleased to welcome US secretary of state Marco Rubio to historic Samarkand,” Saida Mirziyoyeva wrote on her Telegram channel.
On Monday, the city will host the second meeting of the US-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council, co-chaired by Mirziyoyeva and Gor, as well as the meeting of foreign ministers from the Central Asian countries and the US state secretary in the C5+1 format.
In addition, Rubio and Saidov will hold the first round of the Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue between the two countries.
“We are confident that tomorrow’s dialogue will provide a good opportunity to advance the strategic partnership through new practical initiatives and jointly identify priority areas for cooperation between Central Asia and the United States,” Saidov said.
Representatives of more than 200 major US companies are accompanying Rubio on his visit to Uzbekistan.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has also arrived in Samarkand. He will attend the meeting of the Business and Investment Council and hold talks with Rubio.
