The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan convened in the Kazakh capital, Astana, on August 9 to hold the sixth consultative meeting of the leaders of Central Asian states, the Kazakh president's office said.
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev greeted his counterparts and stressed that the regular meetings of the regional leaders indicate the Central Asian states' commitment to strengthen "centuries-long ties of friendship and further develop cooperation between the neighboring nations."
Toqaev said thanks to the five countries' joint efforts "enormous progress has been achieved" in developing the meetings since the first such gathering was held in 2018 in Astana.
"The results of the previous five meetings, at which important agreements were concluded, clearly demonstrate that," he said.
Toqaev also called on his colleagues to take into account global challenges when reaching mutual agreements on the Central Asian region's further development.
Presidents Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, Serdar Berdymukhammedov of Turkmenistan, and Shavkat Mirziyoev of Uzbekistan arrived in Astana on August 8.
The presidents signed several documents, including a joint statement on the results and the Central Asia -- 2040 development concept, outlining the priorities for regional convergence, primarily aimed at expanding five-party interaction and strengthening Central Asia's international subjectivity.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Kakha Imnadze, head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, attended the meeting as guests.