November 30, 2007
Politics:
PDPU’s Candidate Campaigns In Syrdarya Prov., Talks To Voters
Upper house of Uzbek parliament approves resolution on amnesty
Economics:
Lawmakers Praise Rise In Insurance Payments
Tashkent hosted "Russia and Uzbekistan: strategic partnership" economic forum
Uzbek-Swiss JS Holds Sitting, Sides Take Pulse of Ties
Seminars & Showcase Accompany Fair On Mini-Tech In Tashkent
Uzbekistan inaugurates Khauzak gas project
Society:
Anti-AIDS information campaign starts in Uzbekistan
On equal terms with everyone
“Kelajak ovozi”: the finale is just around the corner
POLITICS
PDPU’S CANDIDATE CAMPAIGNS IN SYRDARYA PROV., TALKS TO VOTERS
The nominees, who are now running for presidency in Uzbekistan, are continuing to meet with the voters. On November 28 the candidate for President of the Republic of Uzbekistan from the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (PDPU) Asliddin Rustamov met with the voters in Syrdarya Province.
The report by Uzbekistan National News Agency Russian-language website said that the person empowered to act upon the candidate K.Alikulov has read out to the gathered the biography and nominee’s program of action.
The program has underlined that the ongoing considerable reforms in Uzbekistan are bearing their tangible results. The nation’s economy is growing with the people’s well being seeing its rise. The system of payments of pensions has been improved. They alongside with social allowances as well as people’s real incomes are gradually being increased, according to the nominee’s pre-election program.
The report also said that the campaigner Asliddin Rustamov has taken the floor and addressed the voters.
Also, the voters, who spoke at the meeting, have said the election system in Uzbekistan fully corresponds the universally accepted international norms and it witnesses about that the law-governed democratic state has been established in the country with multiparty and alternative-based elections being already available.
UPPER HOUSE OF UZBEK PARLIAMENT APPROVES RESOLUTION ON AMNESTY
The Senate (upper house) of Oliy Majlis (parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan during its twelfth plenary session adopted a resolution on amnesty on 30 of November 2007.
The senators adopted the Resolution "On amnesty on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of Constitution in Uzbekistan".
The resolution envisages the release of women, those who were under 18 when committing a crime, as well as who have reached the age of 60 to the time when the decree takes effect.
ECONOMY
LAWMAKERS PRAISE RISE IN INSURANCE PAYMENTS
The Budget and Economic Reforms Committee of Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis (Lower House of parliament) held its meeting, which saw the discussion of implementation of the Law “On insurance activity” by the State Joint-Stock Company “Uzagrosugurta”, Jahon Information Agency quoting the newspapers report.
The Committee head A.Akhadov is reported to have led meeting. At it the lawmakers and other participants have said that at the moment the certain work is being accomplished to ensure the implementation of the said law. In particular, the kinds of activities on rendering the insurance are expanding in the country.
Nearly 20 insurance affiliate companies are now operating at the Uzagrosugurta. 90 % of all insurance services nationwide accounts directly for the countryside area.
The company is said to have secured the rise of insurance payments compare to the same period last year by 31,6 % and the volume of investments – by 15 %.
Yet the lawmakers have drawn attention to some shortcomings in implementing the law. In particular, they have said that the charter funds of the insurance agencies at the Uzagrosugurta have not been yet established. The registration bookkeeping remains to be kept poor. Adding to that, the expired notes payable are poorly levied.
On that the meeting has adopted the certain decision, which would serve as a guideline for the company to address the faults along its activity.
TASHKENT HOSTED "RUSSIA AND UZBEKISTAN: STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP" ECONOMIC FORUM
The 10th session of the Uzbek-Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation took place in the capital Tashkent on November 28.
Heads of the ministries and departments, companies and concerns responsible for external economic relations, energy, oil-and-gas, commercial and industrial branches, defense, banking-financial sphere, chemical industry, geology, transport and transport communications, rural and water management, customs, pharmaceutics, manufacture of furniture, tourism have taken part in the session.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Co-chairman of the Commission Shavkat Mirziyoev especially noted during the forum that cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia consistently develops according to the Agreement on Allied Relations signed in 2005 by the presidents of the two countries, Islam Karimov and Vladimir Putin.
First Deputy Chairman of the Government of Russia and Co-chairman of the Commission Sergey Ivanov noted that Uzbekistan possesses great economic potential and Russia highly appreciates relations with our country.
As of today, cooperation between our countries develops practically in all directions, including the sphere of energy, aircraft and mechanical engineering, transport and telecommunications, public health services, pharmaceuticals, food, wood processing industries, agriculture, and electrical engineering.
At the session the parties exchanged opinions on prospects of bilateral trade and economic relations, in particular on issues connected with long-term cooperation in the fuel and energy complex and aircraft industry. Special attention was given to the increase of volume of commodity turnover, increase in the number of joint ventures and range of products.
UZBEK-SWISS JS HOLDS SITTING, SIDES TAKE PULSE OF TIES
On November 28 this year the Fourth Sitting of the Uzbek-Swiss Intergovernmental Commission on trade and economic cooperation was held in Tashkent, the local papers reported.
The heads of the ministries of the two countries on foreign trade and economic relations, banking and finance, investments, industry, tourism and healthcare participated at the event.
The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan N.Najimov said that the trade and economic cooperation is also consistently developing between Uzbekistan and Swiss Confederation as in many spheres.
The head of the Bureau on development and cooperation at the State secretariat on economy of Switzerland Jorg Al. Reding has underscored that Switzerland is interested in further expanding ties with Uzbekistan.
The cooperation between the two countries is especially developing in such areas as banking and finances, light industry, healthcare, pharmacy, agriculture, telecommunication and high technologies.
In 2006 the trade between Uzbekistan and Switzerland made up US $64,8 million. In January-September this year this index rose up to six-fold in comparison with this period last year.
Uzbekistan exports to Switzerland the cotton fiber, cotton fabric, thread and individual kinds of services. And it imports the electrical, mechanic and technological equipments, instruments and pharmaceutical products.
At the moment 94 enterprises have been established in Uzbekistan jointly with the Swiss businessmen and are successfully operating. The offices of 32 Swiss firms and companies were opened in Uzbekistan.
At the conference in Tashkent the representatives of business circles of Switzerland are reported to have learned about the economic transformations in Uzbekistan – the results of ongoing reforms, conditions created for foreign investors, as well as economic potential of the country, as a whole.
The sides discussed further expanding the scales of trade, economic, financial and investment cooperation between the two countries, and elaboration and implementation of new projects in the said directions. They have also exchanged views on fuller using the huge economic potential and opportunities of Uzbekistan and Switzerland. The participants of the event offered suggestions on increasing the volume of trade, number of joint enterprises and kinds of goods, as well as have set plans of further cooperation.
SEMINARS & SHOWCASE ACCOMPANY FAIR ON MINI-TECH IN TASHKENT
The traditional International specialized fair of mini-technologies and compact equipment for agriculture continues at the Uzexpocenter Exhibition Hall in Tashkent, according to the report by Uzbekistan National News Agency Russian-language website.
The local and foreign companies are participating at the fair. They showcase the latest technologies and compact equipment, and offer the services. Among such companies there are those engaged in rendering the services to farmers and entrepreneurs on montage and exploitation of equipment. One of them is “Texno Food Servis”, which delivers the latest foreign equipment to the Uzbek market.
This Center holds many seminars, in line with the report. One of such seminars is on the cutting-edge technologies on bread and confectionaries baking. The heads of respective ministries and production companies, engineers, as well as private entrepreneurs are reported to have been participating at it.
The seminar is going to last for four days. It is expected to continue in Samarkand and Bukhara provinces, in keeping with the report.
UZBEKISTAN INAUGURATES KHAUZAK GAS PROJECT
Uzbekistan’s largest investment project – Khauzak gas bloc – has been inaugurated in the Bukhara region, according to Uzreport.com Business Information Portal.
Taking part in the ceremony were the co-chairs of Russian-Uzbek intergovernmental commission – Russian First Vice-Premier Sergei Ivanov and Uzbek Vice-Premier, Finance Minister Rustam Azimov.
The Khauzak bloc is a part of the Dengizkul high-sulphur gas deposit that was opened in 1967 and launched 14 years later.
Khauzak occupies the area of 31.607 hectares. Its gas reserves total 80.694 million cubic meters. This is the first launch of the Kandym-Khauzak-Shady-Kungrad gas project implemented by Lukoil Overseas in Uzbekistan.
In June 2004, the Uzbek government, Uzbekneftegaz state-run oil and gas company and Russia’s Lukoil signed a production-sharing agreement on the exploration of Khauzak.
At present, the Khauzak bloc’s gas output makes up 3.6 million cubic meters of gas per day. In 2008, the daily gas production may be increased to 9 million cubic meters. Thus, the annual output will reach 3.03 billion cubic meters.
A total of 330.9 million US dollars have been invested in the project. Lukoil owns a ninety-percent stake and Uzbekneftegaz – a ten-percent stake.
“Russia is Uzbekistan’s key investor. It accounts for 40 percent of the Central Asian republic’s total foreign investments,” Ivanov said.
He expressed confidence that Russia may overcome a fifty-percent mark in Uzbekistan’s investments.
SOCIETY
ANTI-AIDS INFORMATION CAMPAIGN STARTS IN UZBEKISTAN
An information campaign against AIDS started in Uzbekistan on the eve of World AIDS Day, which is marked on 1 of December. The campaign is being held under the slogan "Let us prevent AIDS! Let us take the initiative!".
A press conference held at the Dedeman Hotel in Tashkent on 27 November has become one of the first events which are planned as part of the information campaign.
Representatives from the public, NGOs, and international organizations also attended the press conference; it also included a ceremony to award the winners of an anti-AIDS contest.
Other events of the information campaign include a radio campaign aimed at raising the people's awareness of preventing HIV/AIDS, holding a drawing contest and a series of charity events for HIV-infected children, as well as concerts with the participation of Uzbek pop stars.
The campaign will cover all the regions of Uzbekistan.
ON EQUAL TERMS WITH EVERYONE
Uzbekistan, as well as all countries, will celebrate the World Invalids’ Day which is on the 3rd of December. This date symbolizes the care by which people with the limited abilities are surrounded. In the country all conditions are created so that they felt as high-grade and full citizens, and also could receive qualitative health services, Uzbekistan Today reported.
For maintaining health of invalids the favorable infrastructure is created in Uzbekistan. Today the youth with the limited abilities can be educated at-home, in specialized educational institutions or in general educational establishments. The choice is lays on the pupil and his or her parents. A huge attention is given to employment. According to the Deputy chief of the management of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection Mutabar Sadykov, for this group of citizens more than three thousand workplaces are created, more than one thousand are employed in newly created enterprises.
To ensure maintenance of normal ability to live for people with the limited abilities, renting items of technical means where there are hearing aids, invalid carriages, canes and crutches are created in this year all over the country. Lonely people, requiring extraneous care and simply invalids who have expressed their desire can live in specialized houses “Murruvat”. But those who stay at home also do not remain without attention. Currently over 23.3 thousand of people are served at-home by workers of social services.
The special attention is given to the health protection of invalids. As have been informed to Uzbekistan Today in the management of the treatment-and-prophylactic aid of the Ministry of Health, from the beginning of the year free-of-charge medical examination of more than thirty thousand people of this category was held, from them more than eight thousand have strengthened their health in stationary conditions, about 20 thousand have passed courses of treatment in an out-patient mode and about five thousand have received treatment at-home and in sanatoria. For invalids of the 1st and 2nd category with diseases of eyes among lonely pensioners and members of not sufficiently provided families, in total more than 600 people, replacement of a crystalline lens by artificial ones is done. Besides invalids of the 1st and 2nd category have privileges at treatment in the state system of public health services – all rendered help is free of charge.
“KELAJAK OVOZI”: THE FINALE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Very soon, the names of winners of one of the biggest youth contests – “Kelajak ovozi”- which is annually held by “The Forum of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan” Foundation together with public youth movement “Kamolot”, will be known. This week Tashkent is to host the winners of regional selection tours of the contest – and these are 500 talented young people from all parts of the country.
“Kelajak ovozi” started its activity 3 years ago and now it is the most prestigious contest of young talents. Each year new talents are discovered, demonstrating a rich creative and intellectual potential of young Uzbek people. This year features a record number of participants – more than 30 thousand young people; best of them became finalists. Smart, erudite, goal-oriented and confident young people are to be awarded in such nominations as “Fine and applied arts”, “Information and Communicational Technologies”, “Rationalized proposals, technical projects and developments”, “Social projects and business-plans”, “Artistic and Publicist creativity”, “Architecture and design”, and “Sports”.
A cultural program has specially been prepared for the participants of the Republican contest and every day they will visit the places of interest in Tashkent as well as concerts, presentations and other cultural events. Before the final, meetings with prominent scientists, specialists, figures of art and talented handicrafts were organized for young people. Exemplary people who achieved success in a particular field will help them to define a permanent activity for life.
On December 1, the Place of Peoples’ Friendship will be hosting a gala concert with the participation of Uzbek pop stars and where the names of “Kelajak ovozi” winners are to be announced.