Uzbek President Starts Visit To Turkmenistan

Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov has arrived in Turkmenistan for an official visit.

Reports from October 23 said only that Karimov would meet with Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov to discuss "development of bilateral relations, regional and international problems.

Security is also likely to be on the agenda.

Both countries have become increasingly concerned about the deteriorating security in neighboring areas of northern Afghanistan and neither is a member of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Ties were bad between the two countries when Saparmurat Niyazov was president of Turkmenistan but following his death in 2006, and replacement by Berdymukhammedov, relations have warmed.

With additional reporting by UzDaily.com