AKIPRESS.COM - President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev speaking at the EU – Central Asia ministerial conference in Samarkand proposed to create an Association of Heads of Regions of the Central Asian countries, local media reported.

“The priority today should be given to the inter-regional cooperation. In this regard, I suggest to establish an Association of leaders, heads of regions and business communities of the Central Asian countries,” he said.

According to him, this mechanism will allow directly use the industrial, investment and intellectual potential of the regions of countries ensuring the sustainable development of the whole Central Asia.

Mirziyoyev noted that the trade turnover of Uzbekistan with the regional countries grew in average by 20%, and almost by 70% with some countries since the beginning of this year. According to the UN experts, effective cooperation of Central Asian countries could increase the regional GDP at least twice in 10 years, the Uzbek President added.