TrendAz, January 24, 2013 OSCE stands ready to continue and strengthen the dialogue with Uzbekistan, and expand practical cooperation, including through the office of the OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan, OSCE Secretary General, Lamberto Zannier during following his visit to Uzbekistan, the organization's press service reported. Secretary General Zannier visited the country on Jan.21-23. During his visit Zannier held negotiations with Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirzoyev, Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (ombudsman), Director of the National Centre for Human Rights Akmal Saidov, Prosecutor General Rashid Kadyrov and Interior Minister Bakhodir Matlyubov. He also held negotiations at the Foreign Ministry. Zannier highlighted increased focus of the OSCE on addressing challenges such as combating terrorism, trafficking and border management, and underlined existing good co-operation with Uzbekistan on countering transnational threats. He emphasized that the experience of Uzbekistan could be useful for other participating States in their efforts to effectively address the challenges of the 2014 transition in Afghanistan for the OSCE region. A Memorandum of Understanding between the OSCE Project Co-ordinator office and National Information Analytical Centre on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan was signed on the occasion of the visit. He also delivered a lecture at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy and took part in the opening ceremony for an OSCE-supported sewing workshop in the town of Qibray in Tashkent region for representatives of vulnerable social groups prone to becoming victims of human trafficking. Uzbekistan has been a member of OSCE since 1992. In 1994, the Mission of Uzbekistan to the OSCE in Vienna started functioning. The OSCE Office for Relations with Central Asia was opened in Tashkent in 1995 on the initiative of the Uzbek side. In 1999, in connection with the opening of the OSCE representative offices in Central Asian countries and Kazakhstan, the office for relations with Central Asian countries was renamed the OSCE Centre in Tashkent. At present, a total of 30 OSCE projects are being implemented in Uzbekistan.