*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2018 *

**Remarks Prior to a Meeting With President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and an Exchange With Reporters **

*May 16, 2018 *

*President Trump.* Thank you very much. It's a great honor to have the President of Uzbekistan with us. He's a highly respected man in his country and throughout. We've been working very closely together on different things, including trade. They've actually made investments here. We make investments there.

We're working together from the standpoint of the military, including his purchase of equipment and military equipment from the United States.

Mr. President, it's a great honor to have you. Thank you.

*President Mirziyoyev.* Mr. President, thank you very much, indeed. Indeed, today we are having a very historical meeting. And we know that the United States of America, since the early days of the independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, has always supported the independence, sovereignty, as well as the territorial integrity of Uzbekistan. Indeed, we do highly appreciate this fact.

Our relations, since the elections of the Presidents of the United States of America, as well as Uzbekistan, have taken—have risen to a new level.

Mr. President, I do congratulate that, since the latest elections of the President of the U.S. here, in your country, you have been achieving the very outstanding results in the economic sphere, as well as I do congratulate on the adoption of the historical tax reforms in terms of the creation of the new jobs here in America as well. As well as, this is the result, as well as outcomes, of your personal work, indeed, Mr. President, for the welfare and the prosperity of the American people.

*President Trump.* I agree 100 percent. [*Laughter*] Please, go ahead.

*President Mirziyoyev.* Indeed, Mr. President, since our latest meetings with you, which take place in Riyadh, as well as in the New York City, while at the same time the telephone conversation that we had last year—and this is today the work of the historical meeting, as well as the historical message that you have sent to the business world that we have held with the American side in the New York City have yielded very tangible results and has served the meeting that we are taking with today—having with you, Mr. President.

And today I'd like to underscore, once again, that the joint statement as between the United States of America and Uzbekistan underlined as the new era for a strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and the United States of America, the naming itself of this joint statement speaks for itself.

Mr. President, indeed, for the past 1½ years, we have been closely engaging with the United States of America in terms of the investments. And lately, we have been procuring from the U.S. a lot of technology, as well as the equipment.

As I have already underscored, this is—today has been a historical meeting. Mr. President, part of this historical visit to the U.S., we have been able to sign the contracts and agreements with the leading U.S. companies worth $5 billion. As I have told you already that the strategic partnership, this is new era of the strategic partnership with Uzbekistan and the U.S.

And in this very regard, I would like to say that we've got very serious intentions for the years to come, from the perspectives. Mr. President, I'm taking this fine opportunity to thank you, indeed, for the warm welcome here in the U.S.

*President Trump.* Thank you very much. It's a great honor.

*President Mirziyoyev.* Thank you very much.

*President Trump.* Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.

*North Korea *

*Q. *Are you concerned that Kim will call off the summit?

*Q. *Is the North Korea summit still on?

*President Trump.* We'll have to see.

*Q. *We'll have to see?

*President Trump.* We'll have to see.

*Q. *Can the Korean summit be salvaged?

*Q. *[*Inaudible*]

*President Trump.* No decision. We haven't been notified at all. We'll have to see.

*Q. *Will you call off the military drills?

*Q. *[*Inaudible*]

*President Trump.* We haven't seen anything. We haven't heard anything. We will see what happens. Whatever it is, it is.

*Q*. Will you stop the—[*inaudible*]?

[*At this point, a reporter asked a question in Uzbek, and no translation was provided.* *President Mirziyoyev responded in Uzbek, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows*.]

*President Mirziyoyev.* This is indeed—today's meeting is real impression for Uzbeks all around the world as well.

*North Korea *

*Q. *Is Kim bluffing—[*inaudible*]?

*President Trump.* We'll see what happens. We'll see. Time will tell.

*Q. *Are you still going to insist on denuclearization? Will you still insist on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula?

*President Trump.* Yes.

Thank you very much, everybody. NOTE: The President spoke at 11:54 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. Reporters referred to Chairman of the Korean Worker's Party Kim Jong Un of North Korea. President Mirziyoyev spoke in Russian, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter.

*Categories:* Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: White House; Meetings With Foreign Leaders and International Officials : Uzbekistan, President Mirziyoyev*.*

*Locations: *Washington, DC.

*Names:* Mirziyoyev, Shavkat*.*

*Subjects:* North Korea : International diplomatic efforts; North Korea : Nuclear weapons development; Uzbekistan : President; Uzbekistan : Trade with U.S.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201800337.