Russia's Medvedev in Uzbek talks

By Rayhan Demytrie
BBC Central Asia correspondent

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev is in Uzbekistan where he is meeting President Islam Karimov for talks.

The two presidents are expected to discuss economic co-operation between the two nations.

It is their first meeting since Uzbekistan announced its withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Community, a regional body dominated by Russia.

Russia's President Medvedev is being accompanied by a large delegation of ministers, MPs and businessmen.

The turning point in Uzbek-Russian relations came in 2005 after events in the town of Andijan, when Uzbek forces opened fire on thousands of protesters.

Faced with sharp criticism from the West, President Karimov sought closer ties with Russia and China and shut down the US military base in the eastern town of Qarshi.

Gas

When Uzbekistan announced it was withdrawing from the Eurasian Economic Community last year, some analysts said it might indicate the willingness of Tashkent to restore its relationship with the West.

Russia is one of the biggest investors in the Uzbek economy with stakes in the energy sector and telecommunications and aviation industries.

Most of Uzbekistan's natural gas exports go to Russia - which after decades of cheap imports has recently started paying European prices for Central Asian gas.