President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov paid a state visit to the People’s Republic of China April 19-20 at the invitation of President Hu Jintao of PRC.

Program and agenda of the visit has come to be rich and dynamic. As soon as an hour into the Uzbek delegation’s arrival in Beijing, an official ceremonial meeting of President Islam Karimov took place in the building of National People’s Congress, as did the ensuing negotiations with President Hu Jintao extended to include officials from the two parties to be followed by a solid package of documents signed.

The Uzbek leader declared at the start of talks, “We consider the current visit a logical extension of intensively expanding bilateral and multilateral relations between our countries, an opportunity to discuss and exchange views on critical issues of shared interest, to afford a new impetus to our fruitful cooperation.”

The two heads of state deliberated on pressing subject matters of bilateral and multilateral nature in a thorough and confidential manner, including political interaction, cooperation in security issues, in economic, trade, investment, and cultural and humanitarian realms.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan was in Tokyo on official visit February 8-10.

During his stay in Japan, President Karimov met with Emperor Akihito, Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Speakers of higher and lower houses of Japanese parliament Takeo Nishioka and Takahiro Yokomichi, respectively, minister of foreign affairs Seiji Maehara, the leaders and members of parliamentary groups of friendship – DPJ-Uzbekistan and LDPJ-Uzbekistan.

During the talks, the sides carried out an extensive and productive dialogue on the current state and prospects of relations between Uzbekistan and Japan, on a wide array of cooperation areas.

The two sides agreed that bilateral ties have come to be put on a dynamic development track following Uzbekistan's declaration of independence and the subsequent establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1991, built on principles of equality, constructive partnership, mutual interest and respect. The first official visit by President Islam Karimov to Japan in May 1994 instituted a solid foundation for a long-term multidimensional interaction.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov visited Brussels on January 24, 2011, at the invitation of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

During his visit to the Belgian capital, President Karimov met with President Jose Manuel Barroso; the European Commissioner for Energy Guenther Oettinger; and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

During the negotiations, the sides exchanged practical and candid views on the current state and prospects of Uzbekistan-EU and Uzbekistan-NATO relations.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov participated in Collective Security Treaty Organization’s Collective Security Council meeting and the Commonwealth of Independent States’ Heads of State Council session. Both summit meetings took place in Russia’s Moscow on December 10.

During the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) gathering held in the Kremlin, heads of member nations discussed cooperation issues within the Organization with regard to bolstering security, countering such threats as international terrorism, extremism, drugs trafficking and transnational organized crime. The presidents deliberated on expanding the interaction in creating a collective security system and enhancing information security. The leaders also exchanged views on the events in southern Kyrgyzstan that took place last June.

The heads of state reviewed the documents dealing with swift preemption of common threats to CSTO member countries. In particular, the Organization’s actions in emergency situations with security threat have been conferred. The summit participants also expounded on aspects of averting security threats.

President of Uzbekistan stressed that the CSTO’s principal designation is primarily to protect member states from external threats. Any form of involvement of the Organization in so-called violent actions within any nation is unacceptable – this is Uzbekistan’s fundamental position, Islam Karimov emphasized.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has paid an official visit to Turkmenistan on the invitation of that country’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

On arrival in Ashgabat it was evident that a lot of beautifying work had been done in the city prior to the visit by the Uzbek President. The airport and streets were garlanded with flags of two nations along with welcome banners in Uzbek and Turkmen.

Major events of the visit began on October 19 in Oguzgent, Turkmen President’s residence, with a tet-a-tet meeting of the two leaders. The heads of state went through a thorough exchange of views on a wide range of issues pertaining to Uzbek-Turkmen relations, regional and international topics of mutual interest.

Islam Karimov noted that harmony of interests and views, similar positions on practically all subjects have been confirmed again and in particular on the need to comprehensive boosting of mutual ties.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov attended the United Nations General Assembly Session on Millennium Development Goals in New York on the invitation of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The head of our state delivered a speech at the summit.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has been on official visit in Russia, April 19-20, at the invitation of President Dmitriy Medvedev.

Major part of events started in the Kremlin on April 20 with the meeting of Islam Karimov and Dmitriy Medvedev in tet-a-tet format. During the talks, the sides exchanged views on advancement of Uzbek-Russian relations, expansion of cooperation in the framework of international organizations, on regional and international issues of common interest, including the mitigation and overcoming the global financial and economic downturn.

Interaction with Russia in Uzbekistan’s foreign policy, as well as relations with Uzbekistan in Russia’s foreign policy, is of particular magnitude. Contemporary cooperation is premised on Strategic Partnership Treaty between the two nations signed in 2004, and the one on Allied Relations reached in 2005.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov paid a state visit to South Korea on 10-12 February.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov arrived in Ashgabat December 13 on a two-day official visit by the invitation of Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov.

Official welcoming ceremony of the head of Uzbekistan was held at the palace of the President of Turkmenistan. State anthems of the two countries were played. The leaders of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan observed the guard of honor.

At the talks tet-a-tet, the presidents noted that relations between the two countries have been on a steady development course. They expressed confidence that the visit would boost the bilateral cooperation based on mutual trust, respect and interest.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov visited the Sultanate of Oman with a state visit during 4-5 October.