Malaysia signs 6 documents with Uzbekistan

Xinhuanet October 3 Malaysia and Uzbekistan on Monday signed six documents ranging from trade to anti-terrorism, a move which will further boost the cooperation between the two countries. The signing capped the hour-long meeting between delegations of the two countries headed respectively by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and visiting Uzbek President Islam Karimov. The documents include an agreement on air service and four memoranda of understanding on security and anti-terrorism, joint trade committee, tourism and development of mineral resources. The two governments also signed a letter of intent on cooperation in the field of information and communication technology. At the end of the talks held in the administrative center of Putrajaya, the two sides issued a joint statement, expressing wishes to deepen bilateral cooperation and links in various fields. The two countries supported each other's efforts to promote economic development and prosperity in their respective region through greater regional integration, including the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area and the Central Asian Common Market, the statement said. Malaysia and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their committed cooperation in combating international terrorism, religious extremism, trafficking of illicit drugs, transnational organized crimes, nuclear proliferation and the arms race. In efforts to promote regional peace and stability, Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent acknowledged the importance of the proposed establishment of the Central Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone and the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone, the statement said. Malaysian Supreme Head of State Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin and Prime Minister Badawi have both accepted invitations extended by Karimov to pay official visits to Uzbekistan, the statement said. Karimov will end his three-day official visit to Malaysia on Tuesday.