OREANDA-NEWS. On July 09, 2007 Uzbekiston Havo Yollari (Uzbekistan Airways) National Airline Company has conducted the first regular passenger flight to Cairo (Egypt), reported the press-centre of Uzbekistan Airways.

During President Karimov's official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt in April this year, among the issues discussed was the activation of economic and humanitarian cooperation between the countries.

As a result of the talks between the Presidents of the two states, the negotiations of the official delegations of Uzbekistan and Egypt, and meetings of the Uzbek-Egyptian business forum important agreements were made and several documents were signed envisaging further expansion and intensification of bilateral relations.

The opening of direct flights between the two countries is intended to contribute to this process.

"The lack of regular passenger flights between Uzbekistan and Egypt to a certain degree hampered the development of fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation," said Deputy Director-General of the Airline Company Javdat Ahmedov.

"That is why up until now to get from Tashkent to Cairo and from Cairo to Tashkent passengers had to travel to a third country, such as the United Arab Emirates, or Turkey, or even Russia. This of course held back the expansion of relations, particularly in the spheres such as tourism and business, both of which have a great development potential. Now, we have opened the shortest way for, for instance, tourists. Egyptians know a lot about the sights of our country, the monuments of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Tashkent.

They are interested in the unique culture and history of the Uzbek nation, our customs and traditions. Uzbek citizens in turn are interested in Egyptian pyramids, and many would like to spend their vacations on wonderful resorts so popular among the tourists from different countries," he added.