The two presidents will meet in Samarkand, the second largest city in Uzbekistan today. Then discussions will continue in a broader format in Tashkent, the country's capital, on Friday.
Dmitry Medvedev and Islam Karimov will focus on bilateral trade and economic cooperation, primarily in the energy sector, aircraft industry, transport and mining.
The agenda for the meeting will also include preparations for a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit due to be held in Russia's Urals city of Yekaterinburg this summer. The regional security bloc, widely seen as a counterweight to NATO's influence in Eurasia, comprises Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The group primarily addresses security issues, but has recently moved to embrace economic and energy projects.
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Russian President To Have Energy Talks in Uzbekistan
Dmitry Medvedev has started his two-days visit to Uzbekistan, where he is expected to have energy talks with Uzbek President
