November 2, 2007
Politics:
President Islam Karimov received Russian Prime Minister
President Received ADB Head, Sides Discuss Relations
Economics:
ADB President Visits Uzbekistan, Sides Ink Loan Agreement
Uzbekistan & Korea Set To Boost Cooperation In ICT Area
Honey Festival Ended In Tashkent, Over 30 Tons Of Goods Sold
Society:
Conference On Ecology & Stable Development Takes Off in Town
Since Early 2007 Over 30,000 Tourists Visited Khorezm
POLIITICS
PRESIDENT ISLAM KARIMOV RECEIVES RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER
On November 2, 2007 at the Oksaroy Residence in Tashkent the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received Prime Minister of Russian Federation Viktor Zubkov, the Uzbekistan National News Agency reported.
Welcoming the guest the Head of State noted that cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia comprehensively developed in the spirit of Treaty on allied relations, as well as effectively cooperate within the frameworks of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
V.Zubkov thanked the President for warm reception. He especially noted that Russia highly appreciates cooperation with Uzbekistan, which develops in all spheres.
During the meeting exchange of opinions concerning the development of bilateral relations and other issues took place.
PRESIDENT RECEIVES ADB HEAD, SIDES DISCUSS RELATIONS
On October 31, 2007 at the Oksaroy Residence in Tashkent the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received the president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Haruhiko Kuroda, the local newspapers wrote.
While welcoming the guest President has said that Uzbekistan is developing the relations with many large international financial institutions, but the cooperation with the ADB is of a special importance to the country.
“Each occasion of the meeting with you furnishes the fine opportunity to discuss the issues of cooperation,” – President Islam Karimov has said.
The ADB is one of the reliable and active partners of Uzbekistan in undertaking the reforms. The Bank regularly elaborates and consistently implements the strategy and cooperation program with Uzbekistan.
Since 1995, when Uzbekistan joined this financial institution, the ADB has allocated the country the credit worth 875,6 million US dollars. These funds have been channeled to the implementation of 21 projects of strategic importance in the spheres of transport infrastructure, energy, agriculture and municipal economy, small business and private entrepreneurship, as well as general, secondary special and professional education. Besides, as a technical assistance the ADB allocated 62 grants. Their total worth has exceeded 32 million dollars. The ADB secures the top place among the international financial institutions in funding the projects in Uzbekistan.
At the moment, the sides are expected to elaborate and implement 16 priority projects in line with the Financial cooperation program set for three years. For these projects aimed at supplying the population with a drinking water, land improvement, equipment of schools, introduction of information and communication technologies to the educational system, modernization of the transport infrastructure, and support of small business the ADB envisages to allocate the credit worth 510,7 million US dollars.
The cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Asian Development Bank is also developing in the framework of multilateral relations. The leadership of the Bank coordinates the activity of other financial institutions in the sphere of development of regional cooperation in Central Asia in such priority directions as energy, trade and transport infrastructure.
H.Kuroda thanked the President Islam Karimov for the sincere welcome. He has underscored that the annual economic growth of Uzbekistan at the level of 8-9 percent witnesses about the high economic potential of the country.
“ADB accords a profound significance to continuing and consistently developing the cooperation with Uzbekistan,” – the ADB president is reported to have said.
ECONOMICS
ADB PRESIDENT VISITS UZBEKISTAN, SIDES INK LOAN AGREEMENT
Since 1996 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been supporting the reforms in Uzbekistan by way of investing into many spheres of national economy.
The efficiency of cooperation with the ADB is vividly confirmed by the achievements in such areas as education, mastering the natural resources, agriculture, transport and transport communications, health, finances, industry, trade and energy, the Pravda Vostoka newspaper wrote.
Last year the ADB approved the program and strategy of cooperation with Uzbekistan for 2006-2010. The document envisages the implementation of 14 projects in 2007 – 2008, which would cover the development of agriculture, supplying the population with drinking water, providing the general secondary schools with the latest equipment, developing the small and private businesses.
As a part of the visit by the president of the Asian Development Bank Haruhiko Kuroda to Uzbekistan on October 31 this year in Tashkent the Republic of Uzbekistan and the ADB signed the Loan agreement on the project “Reform of management of state finances”, the newspaper wrote.
UZBEKISTAN & KOREA SET TO BOOST COOPERATION IN ICT AREA
On October 29 this year the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Director General of the Uzbek Agency of Communication and Information Abdulla Aripov met with the president of the “Korea Telecom” Corporation Nam Jung-Su, the local newspapers reported.
The sides discussed the issues on further development of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in the newest areas of the sphere of information and communication technologies.
Thanks to favorable investment climate and the system of legal guarantees and privileges for foreign investors created in Uzbekistan the transnational corporations “Korea Telecom” and Japanese “Sumitomo Corporation” are jointly acquiring 85 percent of the “East Telecom” Joint Venture’s shares. The 15 percent of shares of the joint venture belongs to “Uzbektelecom” Joint-Stock Company.
The “East Telecom” is the first communication operator in Uzbekistan, which provides services on technologies and solutions of the so-called next generation network (NGN). The main direction of activity of the “East Telecom” is to render the complex of modern telecommunication services, including the digital telephony, intellectual communication networks, organize the virtual private networks and high-speed Internet access.
The “Korea Telecom” Corporation has been founded in 1892. Its annual turnover accounts for USD $12 billion. At the moment, the company is one of the largest communication operators in Asia. It owns the biggest and technologically saturated telecommunication network of South Korea, which renders services of the local, interurban and international communication, as well as data transmission.
“Sumitomo Corporation” is one of the oldest trade and industrial structures of Japan. It was founded in 1919. The corporation operates in many branches of economy, including the sphere of information and communication technologies. The annual turnover of the corporation makes up over USD $22 billion.
During the meeting in Tashkent the sides also discussed further development of the “East Telecom” network based on the technology of broadband wireless access WiMAX.
HONEY FESTIVAL ENDS IN TASHKENT, OVER 30 TONS OF GOODS SOLD
Within the framework of the honey festival the fairs were held at the markets in Tashkent. The Association of beekeepers of Uzbekistan with an assistance of Tashkent city municipality organized the event, the local agencies reported.
The members of the associations of beekeepers of Syrdarya, Jizzakh, Tashkent Provinces and the city of Tashkent participated with their products at the fairs.
“We have been holding the honey festivals for three years in a row", - the director of the Association of beekeepers Sarvar Islamkhojaev has said, "their main goal is to improve the supplies of the products of beekeeping to the population”.
During the honey festival, which was held for a month, over 30 tons of honey and other products of beekeeping was sold at the markets.
SOCIETY
CONFERENCE ON ECOLOGY & STABLE DEVELOPMENT TAKES OFF IN TOWN
The international conference dedicated to the issues of securing the ecological safety and stable development in the Central Asian region has opened in Tashkent, the Pravda Vostoka newspaper reported.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Water Economy of Uzbekistan jointly with the OSCE Department on coordination the activities related to economy and environment have organized the event.
The scholars, specialists and experts from about 20 countries of the world are reported to have been participating at it.
SINCE EARLY 2007 OVER 30,000 TOURISTS VISITED KHOREZM
Khorezm, which is famous for its ancient monuments, has always attracted the attention of tourists. Over 100 Italians, who have recently arrived here on their charter flight, have had an opportunity to eye the beauty of Urgench and Khiva, as well as learn about its unique monuments, according to the report by Uzbekistan National News Agency Russian-language website.
“We are leaving your country with tons of impressions,” – the head of the Italian tourist company “Atakama” Emilia Chitolini has said, “I have been amazed with the tourist-attractive Uzbekistan, its wonderful cities, national customs and traditions. It is true that Khiva is an open-air museum. It is a fairy-tale city”.
According to Ms. Chitolini, she has also been quite impressed with beautiful minarets, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, Juma Mosque, and other monuments in Khiva, created by wit and talent of the Uzbek people’s ancestors, as well as the masterpieces of applied arts.
“I find no words to describe the taste of Khorezm bread, melons and fruits, and I certainly want to come back here,” – Ms. Chitolini is reported to have further said.
“Since the early year more than 30,000 thousand tourists visited Khorezm,” – the senior specialist of the Uzbekturizm National Company Alisher Matyokubov has said, “Almost 28,000 of them are the foreigners”.