SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan (TCA) — Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev on September 12 visited Uzbekistan to pay his respects to late President Islam Karimov, who died of a stroke earlier this month, the Kazakh president’s press service said.
Nazarbayev arrived in Samarkand, Karimov’s home city where he was buried on September 3.
Nazarbayev’s trip to Samarkand took place nearly a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the city to honor Karimov. Both Nazarbayev and Putin were unable to attend Karimov’s funeral because they were taking part in the G20 summit in China.
Speaking in Samarkand yesterday, Nazarbayev emphasized the role of the first President of Uzbekistan in strengthening of historical and strategic ties between the two brotherly nations.
“The Kazakh and Uzbek peoples have always been going towards each other. Islam Abduganiyevich [Karimov] and I signed the Eternal Friendship Agreement… in 1998 and our relationship has based on this historical agreement. Kazakhstan has always been and will be with the Uzbek people,” Nazarbayev said.
The Kazakh president also met with acting Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyaev. During the meeting Nazarbayev once again emphasized Karimov’s contribution to the development of the Uzbek state and Kazakh-Uzbek relations.
“His entire activity served to further strengthening of friendship between our nations, as we share a common history, faith, and culture. It is very important to be able to preserve these values. We have always been able to find mutually acceptable solutions to any questions, both at bilateral meetings and within international organizations. We need to further strengthen our brotherly relations,” Nazarbayev told Mirziyaev.
