Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Pashto article.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says U.S. relations with Central Asian nations is a priority.
He made the statement after a meeting Monday with his counterparts from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan at the C5+1 Forum in the historic Silk Road city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan.
“Let there be no doubt that the United States wants to be a partner of this region and wants to be a partner of this country. We already are, and we intend to build that and grow it,” said Rubio at the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council.
During the meeting with the Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Rubio pledged government and private sector cooperation, with the announcement of 54 agreements and proposed projects.
"There were agreements achieved worth $12 billion, and for us, it’s a great achievement," President Mirziyoyev said Monday.
The C5+1 diplomatic forum aims to bring together the five Central Asian countries and the United States to discuss security, trade and other concerns.
Washington has given special attention to trying to secure greater access to Central Asia’s rare earth minerals, a priority underscored by Rubio’s visit to Samarkand with a delegation of more than 200 U.S. business leaders, the State Department said.