AKIPRESS.COM - Director of the International Institute for Central Asia (IICA) of Uzbekistan Javlon Vakhabov met with Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President (KazISS) Yerkin Tukumov on the sidelines of the 7th Central Asian Expert Forum in Astana, UzA reports.

The diplomats highly appreciated the allied relations between the two states, emphasizing that their further development is in the interests of both countries.

The sides noted that increasing interaction between expert circles is relevant because of the need to identify the key issues and new areas of cooperation of the Uzbekistan – Kazakhstan agenda.

The heads of analytical centers signed a Joint Activities Plan for 2024-2025 as part of the Cooperation Agreement between the institutes, signed on December 2, 2021.

The plan provides for mutual expert visits, joint article publication, and consultations in preparation for meetings and negotiations at various levels, including in the "CA+" format.

The parties confirmed their readiness to deepen their partnership further in the research sphere following the meeting.