TASHKENT, April 25. /Dunyo IA/. Yesterday, at the end of the bilateral talks, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was presented with the highest state award of the Republic of Uzbekistan - the Order "Oliy Darajali Do'stlik", reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the press-service of the Head of our state, presenting the award, the President of Uzbekistan emphasized Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's great merits in strengthening traditional relations of friendship, good-neighborliness and strategic partnership between the two brotherly countries.

- All grandiose achievements, large-scale transformations and growth of the authority of brotherly Turkmenistan in the international arena are firmly linked to your name, - emphasized the President of Uzbekistan.

Turkmenistan's economy has been steadily growing, the welfare of the population has been consistently improving. The leader of our country particularly emphasized the international initiatives of the National Leader of the Turkmen people aimed at ensuring global security and sustainable development.

In this regard, it was noted that Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's proposal to declare 2025 the Year of Peace and Trust received wide international support.

It was emphasized that owing to the personal efforts of the leader of Turkmenistan, Uzbek-Turkmen relations have reached the highest level today, becoming truly exemplary.

- Thanks to your personal support, solid foundations of strategic partnership between our countries were laid in 2017, - said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Active contacts at the level of parliaments, governments, regions, business, public, intellectuals and youth of our countries, implementation of trade and economic cooperation programs and projects were noted with satisfaction. Thus, only in recent years the trade turnover has increased many times and exceeded $1 billion.

Cultural and humanitarian interaction deserves high appreciation. In this context, the presentation of a collection of works by Magtymguly in Uzbek in Ashgabat and Tashkent last year, as well as the premiere of a joint Uzbek-Turkmen feature film at the international film festival in Ashgabat were highlighted.

It was emphasized that the awarding of the highest honor of Uzbekistan was an expression of sincere respect of the multinational Uzbek people for Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov as an outstanding statesman, national leader and architect of modern Turkmenistan.