The seventh Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State opened on Saturday in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, with a focus on strengthening regional cooperation. Leaders are also expected to exchange views on key regional and global developments.
The two-day summit runs through Sunday.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedow and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev are all attending.
Officials expect the adoption of a substantial package of multilateral cooperation agreements during the meeting.
Uzbekistan first proposed regular consultative gatherings of Central Asian leaders during the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in 2017.
Ahead of the summit, President Mirziyoyev said the region’s peace and stability depend heavily on developments in Afghanistan. In a published article, he argued that achieving lasting stability in Central Asia would not be possible without addressing issues linked to Afghanistan.
