Almazbek Atambayev lays wreath at tomb of first President of Uzbekistan (photo)

President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev on December 24 arrived with a working visit to Uzbekistan.

He was met by the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Minister of Health Care Adham Ikramov at Samarkand airport.

After greetings and a joint photograph, the two heads of states came to the mausoleum of Shah-i-Zinda, where Almazbek Atambayev with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev laid flowers at the tomb of the first president of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov.

Islam Karimov died on September 2 at the age of 78 of a stroke. Uzbek leader was hospitalized on August 28. Since then, he was in a coma. The rumors that Islam Karimov had died have been spread since August 29 but the official Tashkent confirmed it on September 2, 2016.