26 April, 2006

Politics
Indian Prime Minister arrived in Tashkent
Ceremony of official meeting of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took place
Face-to-face conversation between Islam Karimov and Manmohan Singh started
Islam Karimov and Manmohan Singh hold press conference
India and Uzbekistan resolve to combat international terrorism firmly
Uzbekistan, India sign joint declaration, bilateral documents
Russia to host joint military exercises with Uzbekistan
China and Uzbekistan to strengthen military relations

Economy
Uzbekistan Q1 cotton fibre output up 1.6 percent
Banking sphere important tool of tourism infrastructure

Society
Monument erected in Tashkent to honour Chernobyl victims
Uzbeks, Arabs have much in common - Al-Arabiya reporter
Days of Indian Cinema started in Tashkent

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ARRIVED IN TASHKENT

On the invitation of President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Tashkent on April 25. Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met the honorary guest at Tashkent International ?irport.

Main events within the framework of the visit will take place on April 26. Official delegations of two countries will discuss present state and perspectives of relations between Uzbekistan and India and further development of cooperation.

CEREMONY OF OFFICIAL MEETING OF INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH TOOK PLACE

Ceremony of an official meeting of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took place in Durmon residence.

Honorary guard was formed in honor of the guest.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov and Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh went up the podium. National anthems of two countries have been performed. Islam Karimov and Manmohan Singh passed the guard of honor.

FACE-TO-FACE CONVERSATION BETWEEN ISLAM KARIMOV AND MANMOHAN SINGH STARTED

The face-to-face conversation between Islam Karimov and Manmohan Singh started. The sides discussed the issues on further development of Uzbek -Indian relations, including expansions of political, trade and economic, humanitarian-cultural relations.

Islam Karimov pointed out, that visit of the Prime Minister of India is a logical continuation of bilateral summit talks, in particular, Uzbek-Indian summit in Delhi, which was held in August 2005, and emphasized the mutual aspiration of two states to the development the cooperation.

The Prime Minister of India has expressed the gratitude to the Uzbek leader for the invitation to visit Uzbekistan and has expressed confidence, that the visit will raise mutual relations to a new level.

ISLAM KARIMOV AND MANMOHAN SINGH HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE

"This visit is an important, landmark event in the socio-political life of Uzbekistan and its bilateral relations with India," said President Islam Karimov during the meeting with the media that followed the talk with the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh.

"Uzbekistan welcomes India's participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as an observer, and confirms its support of India's inclusion as the permanent member of the to-be-expanded UN Security Council. We fully support India's policy aiming at the strengthening of peace and stability," he said.

The Head of Uzbekistan said the parties agreed to establish work groups for oil and gas, and communication under the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation.

"India possesses extensive experience in the field of communication technologies and we are interested in learning from it," said Islam Karimov. "India, in turn, is interested in cooperating in the oil and gas sphere in view of the energy security."

Manmohan Singh expressed his satisfaction with the effectiveness of the visit, noting that the documents signed would serve the interests of both Uzbekistan and India, the nations of the two countries.

"We are glad to note the development of the bilateral relations in all spheres," said the eminent guest. "Uzbekistan is located on the cross-roads of the West and East, North and South. We are cooperating effectively in many spheres. Today we have discussed the development of the trade and economic relations between our countries. We are glad that the Head of Uzbekistan has accepted our proposal on creation of the Uzbek-Indian Center for Enterprise Development. We are considering Uzbekistan as an important partner in energy. We are also intending to cooperate in e-learning and telemedicine by means of satellite television.

"We are ready to provide India territories to study and develop oil and gas fields base on the product sharing agreement," said the President of Uzbekistan. "The Memorandum on Geology and Mineral Resources opens opportunities for the development of such document."

President Islam Karimov noted that the parties negotiated about the Indian Programme of Technical and Economic Cooperation. It was acknowledged that in the course of the negotiations the Indian party decided to raise the quota for the following year up to 120 people. Usually this figure did not exceed 100 people.

"Enjoying the favour Manmohan Singh showed towards Uzbekistan, I asked him to raise the quotas," said Islam Karimov.

INDIA AND UZBEKISTAN RESOLVE TO COMBAT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM FIRMLY

India and Uzbekistan on Wednesday resolved to combat the menace of international terrorism firmly, describing it as one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

Issuing a joint statement this afternoon after a one-to-one meeting and delegation-level talks, Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh resolutely condemned international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and underlined their resolve to fight this menace in the short as well as the long-term.

The two leaders said that their governments have agreed on the "need for expeditious adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the framework of the United Nations."

Interacting with the media after delivering the opening and joint statements, President Karimov said that there was a definite link between terrorism and narco-terrorism, and the blame for this lay squarely at the doorstep of Afghanistan, which he described as the main breeding ground.

Dr. Singh, on the other, preferred to stick to contents of the joint statement on the issue, even as both sides expressed their satisfaction with the results of the Second meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Cambating International Terrorism, held in New Delhi in October 2005.

The two leaders expressed their intention to continue consultations with the aim of coordinating their anti-terrorist efforts.

Commenting on the issue of energy security, President Karimov and Dr. Singh said that their respective governments had inked a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of oil and natural gas. When asked how this MoU would become a reality given the geopolitical impediments involved, President Karimov, who spoke in Russian, said Uzbekistan had experienced similar difficulties with both China and Russia in the past and surmounted them, and therefore, he saw no reason why a similar exercise could not turn positively with India. Dr. Singh said that India saw Uzbekistan as an "important element in any effort to optimally utilize the energy resources of Central Asia".

Apart from the MoU on oil and gas cooperation, the two sides inked six other Memoranda of Understanding. These included one on establishing the Uzbekistan-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Tashkent, a MoU on cooperation for geology and mineral resources, a MoU between the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and Uzbekneftegaz, a Work Plan for 2007 under the MoU for cooperation in the field of Agricultural Research and Education, a MoU between India's State Trading Corporation and Uzbekistan's O'zbekyengilsanoat State Joint Stock Company and a MoU between Delhi University and the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies.

Positively assessing the dynamic development of India-Uzbek ties, both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining regular political dialogue at the highest level, and acknowledged that there was tremendous potential for bilateral cooperation in the spheres of education, information technology, oil and gas, the light industry, agriculture, aviation, tourism, entrepreneurship, mineral resources and pharmaceuticals.

Recognizing the need for enhancing trade-economic and investment cooperation, both sides agreed to facilitate contacts between businessmen of both countries. Expressing satisfaction over the deliberations and recommendations of the Sixth India-Uzbekistan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, both leaders underlined the importance of early implementation of the provisions of the protocol signed.

President Karimov also expressed his appreciation over the inauguration of the Jawaharlal Nehru-Uzbekistan India Centre for Information Technology in Tashkent, while the Indian side offered to set up satellite-based tele-education and tele-medicine connectivity between the two countries.

Satisfaction was also expressed over the level of cooperation within the framework of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program and other programs. India offered to increase ITEC training slots for Uzbekistan from 100 to 120 from fiscal 2006-07.

India also offered to provide financial support to establish the Uzbekistan-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre to which Uzbekistan agreed. Dr. Singh said this "would be an important training ground for young businessmen and would lead to generation of employment.

Cooperation in the field of culture and education was also envisaged. Considering the changes in the global and regional scenario, both leaders stressed on the need for reform of the United Nations. President Karimov once again reiterated his government's support for India getting permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. He also noted that the accession of India to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as an observer would raise the institution's stature at the regional and global levels.

President Karimov and Dr. Singh said that cooperation within the framework of the SCO would result in "countering contemporary challenges and promote development of effective mechanisms in strengthening regional security".

Dr. Singh extended an invitation to President Karimov to visit India, which was accepted, following the declaration of the Joint Statement.

UZBEKISTAN, INDIA SIGN JOINT DECLARATION, BILATERAL DOCUMENTS

Uzbekistan and India have signed a joint declaration and several bilateral documents within the official visit of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Tashkent. The following is list of the documents signed at the meeting of Uzbek and Indian delegations: - the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government of the Republic of India on creation of the Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Tashkent;

- the Memorandum of Understanding and the Agreement of Confidentiality between Uzbekneftegaz national holding company of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Republic of India on cooperation in the field of oil-and-gas industry;

- the Memorandum of Understanding between the State Geology and Mineral Resources Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Coal and Geology of the Republic of India on cooperation in the field of geology and mineral resources; - the Memorandum of Cooperation between Uzbekneftegaz and Gail Limited company of India;

- the work plan for 2007 between the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of India;

- the Memorandum of Understanding between Uzbekyengilsanoat state joint-stock company and the State Trade Corporation of India;

- the Memorandum of Understanding between the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies and the University of Delhi.

RUSSIA TO HOST JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES WITH UZBEKISTAN

Russia is getting ready for holding joint military training exercises together with Uzbekistan in Krasnodar Territory, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov has said.

At a Beijing meeting with Uzbek Defence Minister Ruslan Mirzayev, Ivanov said that the Russian Federation is thoroughly getting ready for holding the Russian-Uzbek military training exercises in Krasnodar Territory.

He expressed his hope that cooperation between the two states in countering new challenges and threats would "develop the way it should".

CHINA AND UZBEKISTAN TO STRENGTHEN MILITARY RELATIONS

Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan and his Uzbekistan counterpart Ruslan Mirzayev met in Beijing on Tuesday, pledging to further push ahead with relations of the two armed forces.

Cao, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and state councilor, said China and Uzbekistan have witnessed frequent high-level visits and fruitful cooperation in various fields over the past few years.

China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to push ahead with the relations between the two countries and the two armed forces, Cao said.

Mirzayev said Uzbekistan values the relations with China, and will further enhance exchanges and cooperation with China in bilateral and multilateral fields, in an effort to lift the Uzbekistan-China military relations to a higher level.

Mirzayev was in Beijing to attend the security talks of the defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Wednesday.

ECONOMICS

UZBEKISTAN Q1 COTTON FIBRE OUTPUT UP 1.6 PERCENT

Tashkent, April 25 (Reuters) - Uzbekistan raised cotton fibre output by 1.6 percent in the first quarter of this year to 419,400 tonnes in year-on-year terms, official statistics showed on Tuesday.

Cotton fibre is a major hard currency earner for the Central Asian state, accounting for a fifth of its exports.

Uzbekistan's 2005 cotton fibre output rose 21.6 percent to 1.187 million tonnes year-on-year.

BANKING SPHERE IMPORTANT TOOL OF TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE

Banking sphere as an important tool of tourism infrastructure is under special attention. It is expected that the number of mini-banks in Uzbekistan will increase by 60% or to 2,343 by 2010.

Number of saving banks will rise by 70% to 1,200 by 2010. It is planned to increase number of plastic cards to 5 million and install over 30,000 terminals. This should increase volume of operation with plastic cards by 25% and up income to 31 billion soums.

SOCIETY

MONUMENT ERECTED IN TASHKENT TO HONOUR CHERNOBYL VICTIMS

Over 10,000 people were sent from Uzbekistan to eliminate the after-effects of the catastrophe in Chernobyl, Yuriy Nikonov, Head of the National Association of Chernobyl Veterans said. A half of them later became disabled.

From 1986 to 1989, over 10,000 residents of Uzbekistan went to Chernobyl, the majority of them called by the military registration and enlistment office. These people were mainly assigned to work on construction, including the construction of the concrete "sarcophagus" that enclosed the destroyed reactor.

The veterans of Chernobyl in Uzbekistan are entitled to special allowances, tickets to sanatoriums and health resorts or the corresponding monetary compensation. They have the right to use the public and inter-city transportation for free. Even the children of "Chernobyl" victims are given special care in local policlinics. Not all of Chernobyl sufferers were capable of standing against this blow of fate - many ended up on the side of the road of life with the "Chernobyl stamp" in their workbooks or military tickets. Today the monument to honour the victims of Chernobyl was opened in Sergeli district of Tashkent city.

UZBEKS, ARABS HAVE MUCH IN COMMON - AL-ARABIYA REPORTER

A correspondent of the Arabic Al-Arabiya TV news channel, Bakr Atyani, has spent a week in our country.

A correspondent of the Jahon news agency interviewed Atyani before his departure from Tashkent.

Q: What was the goal of your visit to Uzbekistan?

A: I would like to give an objective portrayal of Uzbekistan to our viewers. The Arab world has heard of your state a lot; however, not everybody has detailed information on the country. Therefore, the main goal of my trip was to try to create a kind of information bridge between the Arab world and Uzbekistan which has a great history. At the same time, this history covers the period of the spread of Islam in Movarounnahr (Transoxania) which is our common history. I plan to prepare a series of reports and programmes on the results of the visit, which will reflect Uzbekistan's history and allow viewers to see the country's current life.

Q: Naturally, you had a certain opinion on our country before the visit. How much do your impressions correspond to it?

A: Peace and tranquillity are everywhere in Uzbekistan. Creative people live here. I would also like to advise our TV viewers to your wonderful country which has a lot in common with us.

DAYS OF INDIAN CINEMA STARTED IN TASHKENT

Ceremony of opening Days of Indian cinema was held in Alisher Navoiy Cinema Palace on the eve of official visit of Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh to Uzbekistan. The event was organized by the National Agency "Uzbekkino" in colloboration with Indian Embassy in Tashkent, representatives of the diplomatic coprs accredited in our country. Admirers of the Indian Cinema participated in the event.

Speaking at the event, the Director General of National Agency " Uzbekkino" A.Ishakov, the Plenipotentiary Ambassador of India S.Tayal pointed out that friendly and cultural relations between Uzbek and Indian people have centuries-old history. Within the period of independence on the initiative of President Islam Karimov this cooperation has risen to a new level.

Feature films which will be shown within a week, not only at cinemas of capital, but also Republic Karakalpakstan and all areas, will in detail tell to spectators about ancient and rich culture, customs, traditions, values and a today`s life of Indian people.