On May 20, 2019, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Austria, Permanent Representative to the OSCE and other international organizations in Vienna Sherzod Asadov met with the OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, the press service of the MFA reports.

The meeting discussed the results of the Miroslav Lajcak’s (OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia) visit to Tashkent on May 19-20, 2019, as well as current issues related to the organization’s activities and prospects for expanding the current level of cooperation.

Thomas Greminger highly appreciated the efforts of Uzbekistan to increase interaction with the OSCE and stressed the interest of the organization in further strengthening the dialogue.

The Secretary General welcomed the specific actions of the Uzbek side to ensure human rights, freedom of speech and the right to receive information, increase the responsibility of state bodies, strengthen social policies and democratic institutions, and liberalize the economy.

In this context, the recent restoration in Uzbekistan of full access to a number of sites of foreign news agencies and human rights organizations was highlighted.

The conversation underscored the effective implementation of the Action Strategy initiated by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in five priority areas of the country's development for 2017-2021, the main objectives of which fully correspond to the objectives and the current agenda of the OSCE.

Following the meeting, an agreement was reached on the implementation of a number of additional joint activities and projects aimed at supporting large-scale reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan.