MOSCOW, July 5. /Dunyo IA/.  Yuri Sigov, Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations at the Russian State University for the Humanities, provided a commentary for Dunyo IA regarding the outcomes of the state visit by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to Georgia on July 2–3:

- President of Uzbekistan paid a state visit to Georgia, marking a continuation of the active integration of this South Caucasus republic into closer cooperation with the nations of Central Asia.

During the visit, high-level bilateral talks were held between the Head of State of Uzbekistan and the President and Prime Minister of Georgia. Furthermore, the leaders participated in a solemn ceremony dedicating a monument to the eminent Uzbek poet, philosopher, and statesman Alisher Navoi in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. Following these consultations, a package of bilateral agreements was executed, designed to further enhance comprehensive cooperation between both nations.

In evaluating the significance of this high-level visit by the Head of State of Uzbekistan to Georgia, several core elements merit emphasis. Foremost, Tashkent is steadfastly committed to maximizing the diversification of its external relations, with a strategic focus on commerce with nations offering advantageous transit capabilities. This is particularly vital given the Republic's double-landlocked geographical position in the heart of Central Asia. Consequently, expansion of transport corridors to facilitate the access of domestic commodities to international markets remains a paramount objective within its foreign policy framework.

Furthermore, the significance of Uzbekistan’s political presence in the Caucasus region cannot be understated, particularly given the complex dynamics at play, including the unresolved tensions between the United States and Iran, as well as the robust bilateral cooperation between Georgia and Türkiye - latter being one of Tashkent’s foremost international partners.

Additionally, the strategic utility of leveraging Georgian maritime ports presents a pivotal opportunity for establishing trade and economic supply chains to transport Uzbek commodities by sea to markets across both the Black Sea and Mediterranean basins. This framework is highly conducive to collaborative investment projects that could engage premier international partners from Europe alongside key Asian economic actors.