MINSK, 13 April (BelTA) - Uzbekistan values friendship with Belarus, said Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Belarus Nasirjan Yusupov during the ceremony to hand over the humanitarian cargo from Uzbekistan, BelTA has learned.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed. It is a great honor to help friends in such a moment. Uzbekistan values friendship and the sense of solidarity. The act that we can provide some help, particularly to Belarus, a friendly country, makes us happy,” said Nasirjan Yusupov.
The ambassador said that only through joint efforts can the countries defeat the coronavirus. “Uzbekistan is also fighting against this evil at present. We are looking into the future with optimism. I am confident that we will overcome it. The main thing is to have the right attitude and stay optimistic. Everyone will revalue many things, many positions after this epidemic. We are all going through a test to see how good we are adjusted, how stable and viable different sectors are, how strong the relations between people and countries are. I would like to add that Belarusians continue to send words of gratitude to the embassy. We are truly happy to see such an assessment of our friendly step by ordinary Belarusians,” he said.
On the instruction of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a plane with medical supplies was sent to Belarus. The IL-76 military aircraft arrived at Minsk National Airport on the night of 11-12 April. Uzbekistan has sent disposable overalls, respirators, goggles, latex gloves and masks - a total of 513,000 protective equipment items. The plane delivered 500,000 meters of gauze, 50,000 packages of antiseptics and 10,000 liters of medical alcohol. The humanitarian cargo handover ceremony took place in Minsk on 13 April.
The cargo is intended for the Belarusian people as a gesture of goodwill from the Uzbekistan president, which emphasizes the friendly nature of both Belarusian-Uzbek relations in general and also between the leaders of the two countries. Belarusian tractors have been handed over to Uzbekistan as a sign of gratitude. Two MTZ-82 tractors were loaded into the same plane and sent to Tashkent.
Photos by Ramil Nasibulin