MOSCOW, Feb 6: Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin pledged closer ties at a Kremlin meeting on Wednesday that underlined Moscow’s clout in energy-rich ex-Soviet Central Asia.

The visit — the first abroad by Karimov since he was re-elected in December in a poll seen by opponents as rigged — marked a diplomatic triumph for Moscow, which is struggling with Western powers and China for influence in its backyard.

“I thank you that your first visit to Russia is a sign for us that our relations will develop as in previous years,” Putin said.

Karimov said that his trip to Moscow so soon after re-election “underlines the special relationship between our countries and the level of respect that Uzbekistan has for Russia.” The two leaders said that trade turnover had grown by more than a third last year.

“The energy sector is the most dynamic area of our economic cooperation. We have been discussing strategic energy projects, including in the nuclear sphere,” Putin said.

“Both sides have confirmed their interest in carrying out agreements on development of gas transport infrastructure in Central Asia,” Putin said.

“We must cooperate actively with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.” Uzbekistan is likewise being wooed by the United States and European Union powers keen to access the Central Asian state’s natural gas riches.

The head of the US Central Command, Admiral William Fallon, met Karimov on Jan 24 in a one of the highest-level visits to the gas-rich state by a US official in years.

Relations between Uzbekistan and the West went into crisis after a bloody crackdown against demonstrators in the eastern town of Andijan in 2005.

The United States and other countries called for an independent investigation of the Andijan incident, in which witnesses said security forces shot dead hundreds of people.

The authorities say 187 people died, all due to the activities of Islamist insurgents.—AFP