Tashkent, Jul 15 (IANS): Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and visiting Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov held talks to discuss expanding cooperation, especially in the energy sector, between the two neighbouring Central Asian countries, the Uzbek President's press service said.

The Uzbek side expressed interest "in expanding cooperation in the energy sector, including the supply of electricity, gas and oil products from Turkmenistan," it said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, the Turkmen side also proposed diversifying and increasing trade relations, and developing industrial cooperation, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Among the specific industries where our countries have great potential, we single out the agro-industrial complex, energy, chemical and petrochemical industries, engineering, textiles and pharmaceuticals," Berdimuhamedov was quoted as saying.

The leaders added that the decisions taken on the creation of the Uzbek-Turkmen border trade zone and the opening of trading houses in both capital cities will contribute to maintaining positive dynamics and doubling the volume of trade in the coming years, the statement added.

According to the Uzbek Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade, investment and trade agreements totaling $451 million were signed during the Uzbek-Turkmen interregional business forum held in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, on Wednesday.