12 October, 2011
Politics:
Meeting at the Oqsaroy
Demand for quality cotton fiber growing
Economics:
Afrosiyob high speed train starts regular service
Uz-Texaco JV launches production of synthetic motor oils
Society:
Oncologists’ conference held in Tashkent
Toys and Dolls
POLITICS
Meeting at the Oqsaroy
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov met with US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman and Germany’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Michael Steiner at the Oqsaroy October 11. The guests arrived in Tashkent as part of American-German initiative on consolidation of international efforts aimed at supporting economic rehabilitation of Afghanistan.
Greeting the visitors, the head of our state stressed the importance and responsibility-intensive nature of their mission in working to establish peace and stability in Afghanistan.
In their turn, representatives of the United States and the Federal Republic conveyed gratitude to the leader of Uzbekistan for a welcome, acknowledging our country’s helping hand in addressing the Afghan crisis and providing assistance for socio-economic reconstruction in Afghanistan.
Participants of talks exchanged views on issues pertaining to the international community’s contribution to achieving national reconciliation in Afghanistan, along with furthering bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United States of America as well as the Federal Republic of Germany.
(Source: press-service.uz)
TVII INTERNATIONAL UZBEK COTTON AND TEXTILE FAIR
Demand for quality cotton fiber growing
Cotton types “Bukhara-6” and “Bukhara-8” according to their technical parameters comply with international standards. This was recognized by foreign experts who participated in the Uzbek International Cotton Fairs.
These types of cotton, mainly grown in Bukhara region, are in high demand both in the country and abroad. Fiber quality depends not only on the raw material’s baseline parameters, but also on its processing. Modernization of existing processing enterprises is helping to improve the quality.
“Thanks to the reconstruction of our company, the quality and work efficiency have increased,” chief engineer of Oq Oltin cotton clearing company of Romitan district of Bukhara region Gafur Khojiyev said. “The workshops have been equipped with high-performance and energy-efficient machines. Additional dust collectors have allowed reducing dust emissions by 50%.”
According to deputy chairman of Bukhoropakhtasanoat (Bukhara Cotton Industry) company Alisher Anvarov, over the last years, cotton plants of Peshku, Romitan and Shofirkon districts were completely renovated. This year, plants in Olot, Qorakol, Kogon, Gijduvon and Jondor districts were renewed.
As a result, fiber manufacture in the region has increased by 10% and the quality has improved.
(Source: UzA News Agency)
ECONOMY
Afrosiyob high speed train starts regular service
High speed train Afrosiyob, linking Tashkent and Samarkand, started regular service, Uzbekistan Railways company said.
The train will run between the two cities two times per week, and this number will increase in the future with the growth of the demand.
To ensure the safety of the passengers and the high quality of service, Tashkent and Samarkand railway stations were modernized accordingly.
The electric train, which consists of two head locomotives, eight passenger cars and one restaurant car, can carry up to 215 passengers.
According to Uzbekistan Railways, all tickets were sold out for the first trip, which took place on 8 October.
(Source: UzA News Agency)
Uz-Texaco JV launches production of synthetic motor oils
Uz-Texaco, an Uzbek-US joint venture, and Prista Oil Group (Bulgaria) announced about launch of capacities on production of synthetic motor oils in Uzbekistan. Uz-Texaco said that motor oils are produced under the trademark of Prista.
Uz-Texaco said that it received license for production of full assortment of synthetic motor oils and high quality lubricants from Prista Oil Group in the mid of 2011. The company said that the production underwent full quality certification.
The company said that it produced 10,000 tonnes of Prista Ultra 5W40 synthetic motor oils. At the same time, the company will continue to produce Texeco products under such brands as Havoline, Ursa, Gearrtex, Rando. The project is implemented with Uzbekneftegaz. The project sum is not disclosed.
In 2012, it is planned to produce 5 million liters of synthetic, semi-synthetic and high quality mineral motor oils of latest generation. Besides, the venture plans to continue its strategy on replacing imported products with own goods. Uz-Texaco plans to claim leading position in the market of export of motor oils and quality lubricants in Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
Uz-Texaco JV was founded in 1997 to provide market with local quality lubricants. The founders of the company are Uznefteprodukt JSC and Chevron (USA). The production capacities are located at Ferghana oil processing plant. The company produces lubricants in various packages.
Currently, Uz-Texaco produces about 30 types of certified motor, hydraulic, transmission and other oils. Consumers of the products are divisions of Uzbekneftegaz, Uzbekistan Havo Yollari, NGMK, Uzdiptransservis, SamAvto, Uzbekugol, UzCase, Toshshahartranshizmat.
About 70% of products of Uz-Tecaco are exported to Central Asian states and Kazakhstan, Eastern Europe and other countries. Each month, the export orders’ portfolio of the venture is increased by about 3,000 tonnes.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
SOCIETY
Oncologists’ conference held in Tashkent
The conference of oncologists of Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent. The event was organized by the Ministry of Health jointly with the National Cancer Research Center, Association of Oncologists, non-governmental organizations Ayollar Kengashi and Hayot Uchun.
Scientists and specialists from Uzbekistan, as well as CIS countries, Japan, Turkey, USA and other states participated in the forum.
It was noted at the conference that the Uzbek specialists were introducing the best practices of world medicine and also making important inventions aimed at solving the most pressing problems of oncology.
“Modern medical technologies and medicaments save patients’ lives and lead to their full recovery,” said Mikhail Davydov of the Russian Medical Sciences Academy.
The conference participants discussed issues of prevention of cancer, expanding research and improving the personnel training process.
(Source: UzA News Agency)
One of the unique phenomena having preserved in Uzbekistan since far past is the national toy. Amusing ceramic figurines made in the best traditions of Uzbek masters bear in themselves a supply of good energy. At each place it contains its special features and singularities. This is another type of the art described in the book-album Genius of Folk Art Masters of Independent Uzbekistan occasioned to the 20th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence.
Clay is the natural material which since old days is used by people for building their houses, making dishes, and, of course, children’s toys and whistles. At the present, toys for children are made from modern materials, while clay turned the basis of artistic creations of modern masters of Uzbekistan and the entire Central Asia.
Production of clay figurines was typical for the Bukhoro-Samarqand School of Ceramics. Toy has quite old historical and social background. Peculiar center for toy making was the settlement Kasbi where in 70-80s of the last century worked the master Ambar-opa Sattorova who created unique toys is shape of birds and animals on wheels. Traditions of similar types of toys go back to extreme past that is testified by archeological finds.
Another center is Denov where brothers-masters Badal and Rasul Zuhurov along with production of typical for this school brown-yellow ceramic with greenish stains made toys-whistles in shape of birds and animals covered with light-blue glaze.
In the middle of 80s and beginning of 90s of the last century it was noted the transformations in making toys in mentioned centers that was mostly linked with the alternation of generations. With death of Fatkhulla Sagdullaev the tradition of making stucco figured moulding on ceramic vessels got interrupted. The tradition of making special and unmatched Sagdullaev’s toys-whistles was also left off, unique samples of which were kept in collections of museums and private collections. Fabulous animals, birds, horses, rams making up the basic stock of images of clay toys, had various features. In some toys whistle is located in the end of the body, while in others the whistles are on the side that gives the opportunity to observe the form of bird’s tail. For this sort of toys head is the main characteristic element. By modeling of bird’s head masters demonstrate their keenness of observation and awareness on characteristic features of portraying birds.
Toys of Rasul Zuhurov from Denov are of special attention. They are distinguished with that as a stable element, repeated in all the toys, is not only the four-legged structure with a whistle, but the image of the animal, which by its appearance closer to the camel. As the mobile elements of the form making toys diverse and providing the master the opportunity to improvise, are the parts located on the head of animals.
The Samarqand masters of the 20th century paid their creative attention to toy making, yet their works were much more like miniature sculptures. The emergence of this direction in the art of the Samarqand masters gets linked with the name of usto (master) Umarqul Juraqulov. Today this master’s school is represented by the works of the Muhtorovs family. People engaged in daily activities, heroes, warriors, dragons - all works of the family masters are distinguished with subtlety of shapes and wholeness of compositions.
The most famous is the center next to Uba settlement not far from the town Vobkent, where in the 1970s such skilled artisans as Fatkhulla Sagdullaev and Hamro-bibi Rahimova worked. Continuing the aged traditions, they at the same time had their individual style and their toys were easy to recognize. Toys of Uba is not covered with glazing, they are decorated with stucco and painted. Toys depict horses, dogs, riders, and fabulous animals.
In the remote Vobkent district of Bukhoro region lives Kubaro Boboeva, the hereditary master who creates wonders from clay.
“My mother and aunt were great craftswomen of this art of ceramics,” shares madam Boboeva. “They passed me over their skills, and I passed it to daughters. Now, we run 3 colleges where I teach this art to 36 girls. Each year we participate in the exhibition-fair Bazar-Art, organized by the Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan Foundation, where we represent our collections of ceramic figurines, and we are hugely pleased that our works in such a great demand among buyers.”
Puppet making is among those crafts that were almost lost but successfully restored. Not long ago, theater performances of vagrant puppeteers-jesters were one of the brightest and favorite pastimes of rural and urban residents. In the early 20th century, colorful bazaars and squares of the country were the place for performances of vagrant puppeteers who brought great pleasure to children and grown-ups. In 1939, the Republican Puppet Show Theater started functioning the repertoire of which consists of performances of foreign and national Uzbek drama. The national puppet is the bridge to perceiving and understanding of the history, tradition and singularity of Uzbek culture. Everyone who looks at the puppet could see as it comes alive in the hands of the master. Masters working with puppets try to convey their understanding of the environment.
Our forefathers made puppets from wood, ceramics, straw and reeds. Different types of puppets reached our days: glove puppets and simply puppets. They are made of painted papier-mache, wood and clay. Clothes are sewn from fabric made in the traditional style. Masters have their own traditional technology of cutting clothing and embroidery. Puppets represent various folk types and heroes of literary products.
Today, puppets dressed in national costumes have become a traditional Uzbek souvenir that could be used not only as a toy, but as an interesting and spectacular detail of the interior.
The Bukhoro puppet masters learn the history of the Bukhoro costume, use traditional technology of cutting clothes, embroidery, Bukhoro fur. Artists strictly adhere to symbols of various parts of the costume typical of its owner. Liven up in the hands of masters, puppets colorful demonstration of national images.
“Toys and dolls are not just toys, but means of educating and propagating our national culture,” says the artistic director of Jayhun Puppet Show Theater Mansurbek Kuryazov of Khorazm region. “Puppets created and dressed in the national spirit, form and cultivate in children the love for their home land. It was well understood by our forefathers who made puppets and toys from wood, clay, reeds and straw.”
(Source: UT News Agency)