MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Islam Karimov on winning the presidential election in Uzbekistan, the Kremlin press service reported on Monday.
The Russian head of state said in a congratulatory telegram that "the voting results confirm the high authority of Islam Karimov among his fellow citizens and demonstrate recognition of his merits on the presidential post, as well as progress in solving urgent problems of the country’s socio-economic development."
Putin also said the president of Uzbekistan has made a major personal contribution to the strengthening of the alliance and strategic partnership relations between the two countries and expressed the hope for further dialogue and collaboration for boosting the whole complex of bilateral ties and constructive interaction in regional and international affairs.
Incumbent President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has won the presidential election, gaining 90.39% of the vote, according to the republic’s Central Election Commission (CEC).
Karimov has been at the helm in Uzbekistan since June 1989, when he became First Secretary of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan. On March 24, 1990 at a session of the Supreme Soviet of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, he was elected President of the Uzbek SSR. On December 29, 1991 at the general elections he was elected president of independent Uzbekistan. On March 26, 1995, in accordance with the nationwide referendum results, Karimov’s presidential term was extended until 2000. In 2000, he was elected president for a 7-year term.