Political relations
Cooperation with the United States of America is one of the top priorities of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy, which is also reflected in “The Concept of Foreign Policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan”. Current Uzbek-American relations have multifaceted, long-term and multidimensional nature. The sides have similar positions on a number of international and regional issues. A special attention is given to interactions in the political and economic spheres, human dimension, strengthening of peace and stability in Afghanistan as well as countering global threats and challenges such as terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, WMD proliferation.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on February 19, 1992. Over the years, a considerable potential and experience of constructive cooperation has been accumulated.
The fundamental document of the Uzbek-American relations, which has predetermined the establishment of qualitatively new and mutually beneficial relations in all directions, is the Declaration on the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Framework between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the United States of America, dated March 2002.
Regular dialogue on the highest level has a special value in the development of bilateral relations. In 2017, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of the United States of America Donald Trump exchanged messages 11 times on various significant occasions. Two Presidents met in person twice – in Riyadh in May 2017 and in New York in September 2017 when Uzbekistan’s President visited the United States to attend the UN General Assembly session. On December 19, 2017, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Donald Trump held a telephone conversation and discussed Uzbekistan’s role in Central Asia, regional security and explored opportunities for improved cooperation.
It is worth highlighting the recent visits to Uzbekistan by Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council Lisa Curtis (November 9-12, 2017) and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice Wells (February 1-2, 2018). During the visit to Washington, D.C. on January 16-17, 2018 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov met with Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Gen. Herbert H.R. McMaster and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon. During these meetings they have exchanged views on further strengthening of Uzbek-American relations on the principles of mutual respect and trust, taking into account the interests of each other.
Systematic deepening of Uzbek-American cooperation is promoted by carrying out annual bilateral political consultations, the recent round of which was held in Washington D.C. in January 2016.
There is a significant pace of inter-parliamentary communications of two countries. The recent exchange of parliamentary delegations laid the strong foundation for cooperation in this sphere. In November 2017, a delegation of 8 congressmen led by member of Congress Trent Kelly visited Tashkent. The same month, a delegation of two senators and two Uzbek deputies headed by Alisher Kurmanov, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Tourism, visited the United States.