India signs seven MOUs with Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Apr 26 (UNI) India and Uzbekistan today signed seven important Memoranda of Understanding, including two in the field of oil and natural gas with Uzbek President Islam Karimov offering New Delhi a number of blocks for exploration and development in the central Asian country.

The MOUs were signed in presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr Karimov by the representatives of the two governments.

The MOUs in oil and natural gas enables India to intensify its cooperation with the Uzbekistan in the crucial energy sector on the long term basis. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India and the National Holding Company Uzbekneftagaz signed the first MOU while the second was concluded between the Gas Authority of India Limited(GAIL) and Uzbekneftagaz.

After Myanmar and Mauritius, Uzbekistan has become the third country with which India has entered into long term agreements in the energy sector to meet its growing energy requirements and needs.

Other MOUs are- in geology and mineral resources, agricultural and mineral research, establishment of Uzbekistan-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre and cooperation in oriental studies, besides cooperation between State Trading Corporation of India and Joint stock Company of Uzbekistan to give required push to the bilateral economic cooperation.

Later Mr Karimov said his country was keen to develop cooperation with India in the energy sector to help New Delhi to meet its energy requirements. Uzbekistan is ready to offer any number of blocks to India for exploration, development and export purposes on 50-50 basis. He said that his country had already entered into such agreements with China, Russia and South Korea.

Dr Singh said there exist vast opportunities for cooperation in various spheres like education, information technology, oil and gas sector, light industry, aviation and mineral resources.

''We see Uzbekistan as an important element in an effort to utilize the energy resources of Central Asia. India will cooperate with Uzbekistan in the exploration and development of its vast geological and mineral resources.'' The two sides recognised the need to enhance economic and investment cooperation and agreed to facilitate contacts between the representatives of business circles of the two countries.

India offered to provide financial support to establish Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Taskent.

UNI SMA AT PR ND1552