Ansari visits Samarkand, Bukhara next stop before wrapping up Uzbekistan visit

Vice President Hamid Ansari visited the ancient city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan on Thursday. He was received by Samarkand Governor Mirzaev Zoyir Toirovich.

Both held discussions on issues of mutual interest.

Ansari also paid a visit to Shah-e-Zinda, where Prophet Mohammad's cousin, Kusam ibn Abbas, was beheaded for refusing to abandon his faith.

The Vice President later visited the mausoleum of Amir Timur, the Registan Square and the Bibi Khanum Madrassa.

His wife, Salma Ansari, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jayanti Natarajan and several Members of Parliament accompanied the vice president during his tour.

Ansari arrived in Uzbek capital Tashkent on a four-day official visit on Tuesday. On Thursday, he held discussions with Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov on a wide range of issues, including counter-terrorism and the situation in Afghanistan, post-2014, when American forces withdraw from there.

Strengthening trade, political and cultural relations were also discussed at length.

Ansari also met the Chairman of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, I Sobirov, and the Speaker of the Legislative Chamber, D.Tashmukhamedokva.

Samarkand is most noted for its central position on the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean, and for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study.

In the 14th century it became the capital of the empire of Timur.

From Samarkand, Ansari headed towards Bukhara from where he will leave for New Delhi.