(Photo : President Lee Myung-bak (left) holds summit talks with his Uzbekistan

counterpart Islam Karimov in Tashkent on Monday (May 11).)
 

President The two leaders reviewed the dynamic development their two nations had achieved, especially in politics, economy, culture and humanitarian fields through their bilateral relationship.

They also agreed to strengthen the cooperation between both countries'' governments, parliaments and private organizations, in order to realize the joint agreement on the Korea-Uzbekistan strategic partnership which the two sides inked in March 2006.

The two leaders discussed detailed ways to enhance Korean-Uzbek business cooperation in such areas as energy resources, joint development projects in oil fields and mineral mines, including the participation of Korean companies in developing the Surgil gas fields, oil field development projects in Namangan and Chust and the Navoi Airport modernization project.

According to the 12-point statement issued at the end of the summit, the Korean government will increase its economic assistance to Uzbekistan and introduce a new employment program to allow more Uzbek workers into Korea.

They also exchanged opinions on how to firm up bilateral cooperation in order to solve issues affecting the region, such as the global financial crisis, international terrorism, religious strife, drug trafficking, organized crimes, nuclear issues and so on.

At a ceremony attended by the leaders of the two countries, Seoul and Tashkent signed a total of 16 deals regarding joint exploration projects and drilling of new oil fields in Uzbekistan.

Korea''s state-run Korean National Oil Corp. will be the main contractor to carry out the oil exploration project with Uzbekistan''s national energy firm Uzbekneftegaz. The two have previously signed a joint exploration deal in Uzbekistan''s Namagan-Tergachi and Chust-Pap regions in 2006.

Apart from the 16 deals signed at Monday''s ceremony, Korea also agreed to provide US$17.6 million to help build a new sewage system in Navoiy, a southwestern city of Uzbekistan.

Tashkent also agreed to introduce a visa waiver program for Korean diplomats.

After the summit, President Lee is to attend a state dinner hosted by the Uzbekistan government later Monday. He will visit the University of World Economy and Diplomacy; a monument to Kazakh patriots to lay flowers in Tashkent; and Samarkand, before leaving for Kazakhstan on May 12.