OREANDA-NEWS. February 25, 2009. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pays official visit to Republic of Uzbekistan.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov arrived in the Republic of Uzbekistan on the two-day official visit. The cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials of the Mejlis bade farewell tot the Turkmen leader at the Ashgabat International Airport.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoev, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Norov, Mayor of Tashkent A. Tuhtaev and other official persons greeted the Turkmen leader at the Tashkent-2 International Airport decorated with the national flags of the two friendly countries. On behalf and the instructions of President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov they cordially welcomed the honorary Turkmen guest in the Uzbek land.

Tashkent extended heartfelt hospitality to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The highway to the Turkmen leader’s official residence in Tashkent was decorated with the national flags of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan a symbol of the indissoluble ties of friendship and fraternity between two countries and peoples.

The fact that Islam Karimov personally arrived to the Turkmen leader’s residence in Tashkent – Durmen to accompany Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the way to the Turkiston Palace where Turkmen and Uzbek workers of culture and art would perform a joint concert was viewed as token of special respect to the leader of fraternal Turkmenistan.

It is deeply symbolical that a new meeting of the leaders of the neighbouring states began with the celebrations embodying the spiritual, cultural and historical kinship of the fraternal peoples, their peaceableness and good neighbourly relations. Today these imperishable values promote maintaining the climate of mutual confidence and understanding among different peoples, serve as a consolidating factor to tackle the urgent problems of the modern world.

The age-old history indissolubly bound the fates of the Turkmen and the Uzbek peoples and left an ineffaceable trace in world civilization.

The foundation laid by our ancestors, forefathers was solid and longeval that as vividly illustrated by the concern of Turkmen-Uzbek friendship which was held at the magnificent Turkiston Palace – the cultural center in the Uzbek capital.

The atmosphere of special solemnity and high emotional upheaval reigned not only under the domes of the huge assembly hall but also on the palace square which received the guests in the festive attire.

Those present in the concert hall including the cabinet ministers, high-ranking officials of the national Parliament, diplomats accredited to Uzbekistan, representatives of the public organisations, journalists and numerous guests including the Turkmen delegation present greeted the leaders of the two countries with the storm of applause.

The concert of friendship united the renowned artistic groups, popular singers and famous musicians and talented youth from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan who performed the wonderful songs, inflammatory dances and folk melodies glorifying love, beauty of the native land and unbreakable friendship between two peoples.

The spectators ardently welcomed the renowned Turkmen and Uzbek artistic groups Serdara Serpay, Mengli, Nyazli and Ofarin, famous bagshis and popular Turkmen and Uzbek singers who shared their enthusiasm and ardour to the audience

The audience enjoyed the Uzbek song Urtar performed by Honoured Artist of Turkmenistan Dilber Rakhmanova. People’s Artist of Uzbekistan Zulaikho Baikhanova performed the song based on Magtymguly’s poem.

The Turkmen national dance Kustepdi added the bright colours to the palette of the performance

The concert of friendship at the Turkiston Palace was a tremendous success, the spectators applauded the artists who had presented this unforgettable festival of friendship and masterly performance, the wonderful bouquets of flowers were presented to the participants of the concert on behalf of the Presidents of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.