US secretary of state meets Uzbek foreign minister in Washington, praises partnership on security and investment

ISTANBUL

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov in Washington on Wednesday, underscoring deepening cooperation between the two countries on security as well as counterterrorism and economic development.

In an official statement, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the two leaders reaffirmed US "support for Uzbekistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity" and discussed avenues for expanding bilateral ties.

Rubio commended Uzbekistan’s recent decision to join the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (Daesh), calling it a key step in regional counterterrorism efforts. He also thanked Saidov for Uzbekistan’s assistance in facilitating the return of its nationals deported from the US.

On X, Rubio praised Saidov as "a strong partner to us in curbing illegal immigration and helping to fight terrorism."

"This kind of partnership is important as we continue to put America’s prosperity and security first. There’s great potential ahead for investments between our countries and cooperation in the critical minerals and other sectors," he added.

According to the State Department, the talks also touched on "the modernization of safe nuclear energy technologies" and mutual interest in boosting economic opportunities through collaboration in strategic industries.