December 5, 2007
Politics:
Uzbek Leader Sees Minister Song Ming-soon of South Korea
On Way Back From Nukus Islam Karimov Drops In On Khorezm
A.Rustamov of PDPU Takes His Campaign To South To See Voters
In Karshi Voters See Adolat’s Campaigner, Learn About Program
Economics:
International Uzbek textile fair to be held on 5-6 December
Businesses, Other Ink Contracts At Ferghana Wholesale Fair
Russia and Uzbekistan to develop cooperation in machine engineering
UzKDB Bank's capital to reach US$12.27 million by year end
Society:
On the progressive lines of medicine
Tuberculosis steps back
POLITICS
UZBEK LEADER SEES MINISTER SONG MING-SOON OF SOUTH KOREA
On December 4 at the Oksaroy Residence in Tashkent the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) of the Republic of Korea Song Ming-soon, Jahon Information agency reported.
President has said that he respects the minister not only as the head of South Korean foreign policy institution, but also as a political leader known to have worthily contributed to the development of the Uzbek-South Korean relations.
“We highly assess the cooperation with the Republic of Korea,” – President Islam Karimov is reported to have said, “your visit is yet another confirmation of the gradual development of ties between our countries in all areas”.
Uzbekistan’s cooperation with South Korea, also known as (a.k.a.) the Country of morning freshness, is built on the foundation of mutual friendship and trust, respect and interest. The two countries gradually cooperate in political sphere both on bilateral level and in the framework of international organizations. The fact that Uzbekistan has supported the candidature of the former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea Ban Ki-moon for the post of the UN Secretary General also confirms the aforesaid.
During the visit of the South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun to Uzbekistan in May 2005 President Islam Karimov proposed to take the relations between the two states up the level of strategic partnership. And during the stay of President Islam Karimov in Seoul in March 2006 the sides signed the Joint declaration on strategic partnership. That document has become as a legal basis of taking the bilateral cooperation up to a qualitatively new level.
Uzbekistan and South Korea are also reported to have established the regular exchange of visits of parliamentary delegations of the two countries. In 1995 the Association of friendship with Uzbekistan was created at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea.
The foreign ministries of Uzbekistan and South Korea regularly hold the political consultations.
In the economic sphere - since 1992 the two countries have been enjoying the most favoring regime, while the Republic of Korea remains as one of the largest investment partners of Uzbekistan. To date, its capital inputs to Uzbekistan’s economy have exceeded 1,5 billion US dollars.
Alongside with South Korea Uzbekistan has established the new prospective sector, namely the automobile building. Besides, the country has commissioned several textile enterprises.
As of lately, the sides have been enhancing the cooperation in the fuel and energy complex. In 2006 Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea held the first sitting of the Joint interagency commission on energy and natural resources.
There are 138 joint ventures now operating in Uzbekistan – established with participation of South Korean investors. Also, 37 South Korean companies have so far established their offices in Uzbekistan. The Uzbek-Korean and Korean-Uzbek commissions for economic cooperation and trade deal with further expanding the ties in this direction.
The bilateral Committee on culture is important in intensifying the humanitarian contacts between the two sides.
At the Oksaroy talks the Minister Song Ming-soon thanked the President for the sincere welcome.
“The Republic of Koreas supports the consistent development of cooperation with Uzbekistan in all spheres,” – South Korean minister has said.
ON WAY BACK FROM NUKUS ISLAM KARIMOV DROPS IN ON KHOREZM
On December 4 the presidential nominee from the Movement of entrepreneurs and business people – the Liberal-Democratic Party of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov met with the voters in the Khorezm Province, the local papers reported.
The audience has been told about the election program of the candidate for President. The program covers such important issues as consistent continuation of considerable economic, social and political reforms in the country, strengthening the democracy, ensuring the rule of law and social justice, support of farmers, small businesses and private entrepreneurship, further improving the investment climate, curbing the tax burden, broader introduction of high technologies, and further increase of people’s real incomes.
As has earlier been reported, incumbent President the day before campaigned in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, where he had also taken his pre-election program to voters. In Khonka District in Khorezm Province UzLiDEP’s nominee has addressed the voters and spoke on his views of the future of the country and what has so far been accomplished in terms of undertaking the reforms and taking the state along the path of development and consistent move forward.
The profound reforms underway in Uzbekistan in all spheres bear their tangible results. The economy of the country is developing and well being of the people is on the rise. The pension system is being improved. The pensions, social allowances and the real incomes of population are increasing. The country continues the processes of modernization and democratization of the country and liberalization of economic and political spheres.
All of them are the results of special attention to effectiveness of ongoing reforms, consistent implementation of strategic issues related to consistent increasing of prosperity of population and its incomes.
Islam Karimov said that the ancient soil of Khorezm is one of the cradles of human civilization, which profoundly contributed to the development of world science and culture. The Mamun Academy founded here ten centuries ago is one of the largest scientific and enlightenment centers of the East. The Uzbek people are rightly proud of such prominent ancestors born in Khorezm as Abu Muso al Khorezmi, Pakhlavon Makhmud, Najmiddin Kubro, Jaloliddin Manguberdi. At the moment their followers achieve evident successes in science, education, sports and other areas.
A.RUSTAMOV OF PDPU TAKES HIS CAMPAIGN TO SOUTH TO SEE VOTERS
On December 4 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 Surkhandarya Province, according to the local papers.
The person empowered to act upon the candidate, the chairman of the Surkhandarya Regional council of PDPU Kh.Ermatov has read out to the gathered the biography and nominee’s pre-election program.
The program has underlined that the ongoing considerable reforms in Uzbekistan are rendering their outcomes. The economic potential of Uzbekistan is strengthening and people’s well being seeing its rise. The attention to social protection of population is rising and the system of allowances and other social payments is regularly improving. The profound work in the area of communal services, ensuring the ecological balance and other spheres is currently being accomplished, as well.
The report also said that the campaigner Asliddin Rustamov has taken the floor and addressed the voters.
The participants of the meeting have said that the presidential elections are held in a multiparty grounding and based on alternative choices, in the spirit of openness and in line with international norms.
IN KARSHI VOTERS SEE ADOLAT’S CAMPAIGNER, LEARN ABOUT PROGRAM
On December 3 the presidential candidate from the Social-Democratic Party of Uzbekistan “Adolat” Diloram Tashmukhamedova met with the voters in Kashkadarya Province, the local papers wrote.
The person empowered to act upon the candidate for President Diloram Tashmukhamedova, the first secretary of the regional council “Adolat” SDP A.Akhmedov acquainted the voters with biography and program of the candidate.
The document envisages that profound reforms now underway in the country are proving to be successful. The economy of Uzbekistan more develops and the people’s prosperity is on the rise. The reforms in economic, social and political systems, as well as in the systems of science, education, healthcare, culture and enlightenment are deepening, as well as the women’s role in society grows.
The presidential nominee spoke before the voters and laid out her views in terms of the principles and provisions underlined in her pre-election program document.
The participants of the event have said that the holding of elections for president based on a multiparty basis and alternative choices witnesses about that the principles of democracy in Uzbekistan are observed and the election system fully corresponds to international norms.
ECONOMY
INTERNATIONAL UZBEK TEXTILE FAIR TO BE HELD ON 5-6 DECEMBER
Tashkent will host the International Uzbek textile fair on 5-6 December. The event is expected to open new perspectives for improvement of production and increase the volume and geography of exports of the Uzbek textile.
More than 200 representatives of the leading textile companies, as well as experts from about 30 states including Russia, China, Germany, South Korea, India and Turkey will participate in the fair.
They will get acquainted with the latest achievements and changes in one of the leading industries and peculiarities of the local textile production.
The fair participants will also be able to discuss cooperation and joint projects, as well as sign contracts.
The Uzbek textile enterprises have an annual capacity to process 350,000 tons of cotton fiber. They produce 300,000 tons of yarn, 195 million running meters of cotton fabric and 160 million pieces knitted goods every year.
According to Uzbekyengilsanoat (Uzbek Light Industry) company, exports of textile products are expected to exceed USD 441 million this year.
BUSINESSES, OTHER INK CONTRACTS AT FERGHANA WHOLESALE FAIR
The wholesale trade fair of product manufacturers and industrial enterprises took place in Ferghana. Over 50 companies, small businesses and private entrepreneurs participated at it, the report by Uzbekistan National News Agency Russian-language website has said.
Several enterprises and companies, regional wholesale storehouses and other industrial ventures, private entrepreneurs and farmers, as well as product manufacturers are reported to have inked contracts for the forthcoming year.
Uzbekistan accomplishes a considerable work to develop the local production and supports the entrepreneurship. As a result, the locally made goods provide for not only the domestic consumer market, but also finds its customers in the outer markets.
Such fairs play an important role in strengthening cooperation between the producers with an aim to fuller meet the needs of population in various consumer goods, according to the report.
RUSSIA AND UZBEKISTAN TO DEVELOP COOPERATION IN MACHINE ENGINEERING
On November 30 a roundtable meeting on the cooperation in the field of machine engineering, machine engineering for the power sector, integration of energy-saving technology and the prospects of the development of light power engineering was held at UzExpoCentre.
The event was organized within the frame of the Russian National Exhibition organized by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Russian Federation.
Among the participants was the Chairman of the UzbekEnergo State Company Batir Teshabaev.
UzReport interviewed the First Deputy Director-General for Scientific Work of the NAMI State Scientific Centre, Professor, Doctor of Technological Sciences, Honoured Machine Engineer of the Russian Federation Olgert Giruzky.
"Russia and Uzbekistan are targeting the way of strategic development of cooperation, and this exhibition is a landmark, it the symbol of the new stage in the development of our cooperation. The meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission and the protocol signed allow us to foresee the spheres of cooperation in different sectors in both countries. I am very pleased that every year the volume of bilateral trade between our countries grows at very high rates, about 30-40% year-on-year, and I think that this will be kept in the future.
"Unfortunately, not all spheres are demonstrating equally impressive results of cooperation. For instance, partnership still needs to be developed in the automobile production sector, agricultural machinery production.
Deputy Head of the Department for Energy Development Prospects of the UzbekEnergo State Company Victor Kim told the audience about the programme on modernization, technical and technological re-equipment of the power and energy sector in 2007-2012. He also told the guests about the current condition of Uzbekistan's energy system. In his report he noted that cooperation with the enterprises of Russia has traditionally deep roots, particularly in the delivery of equipment for machine engineering and energy sectors, component parts, resources and materials.
The main objective for Uzbekistan, he said, was to attract the investments of Russian companies into the projects on modernization of the energy objects being proposed, into the development of the hydro-energy sphere, construction of small hydro-power stations, etc.
In his speech, the representative of the UzbekEnergo urged Russian companies to take part in these projects. Today the company has needs for equipment, component and spare parts for some US$25-30 million, he said.
UZKDB BANK'S CAPITAL TO REACH US$12.27 MILLION BY YEAR END
The ceremony of signing agreement on the pouring additional capital into UzKDB Bank worth US$3.27 million, which is a 36% increase of the bank's existing capital amount, was held in Tashkent on December 4.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is participating in a capital increase of UzKDB Bank with the subscription of up to 22,263 newly issued ordinary shares for US$909,170. In total a capital increase of US$3.27 million is expected.
Chairman of Board of UzKDB Bank Kim Jang Jin, Head of the EBRD Resident Office in Tashkent Fernand Pillonel, Deputy Chairman of Board of the National Bank for Foreign Economic Activities (NBU) Yashin Hidirov, and the Chairman of Board of TuronBank open joint-stock commercial bank Daniyar Arifdjanov attended the signing ceremony.
The agreement was signed in accordance with the Presidential Resolution "On measures to further increase the capitalization of banks and activation of their participation in investment processes on modernization of economy" dated 12 July 2007. Thus, the general shareholders' meeting of UzKDB Bank decided to issue additional ordinary shares worth a total of US$3.27 million this year.
Currently, the bank's authorized capital is US$9 million. Out of this amount 61% of shares or 280.7 million soums belong to KDB Bank, while EBRD owns 28% of UzKDB Bank's shares or 127.6 million soums, as well as NBU and TuronBank have 5.5% of shares or 25.5 million soums each.
UzKDB Bank is planning to form its authorized capital worth US$12.27 million (8.3 million euros) by the 2007 year end.
The increase of UzKDB Bank's capital is aimed to strengthen competition in the banking sector of Uzbekistan and offer private investors a bigger choice. It will enable the bank to expand its operations in the country and upgrade its IT system. The bank will also be able to service more and larger foreign, local and joint venture borrowers from the private sector and reduce their reliance on the state-owned banks.
EBRD decided in its latest Strategy for Uzbekistan, adopted in July 2005, to focus on the support of private sector investment and entrepreneurship. The bank also regards the promotion of foreign investments as an important means for developing the private sector.
"EBRD's participation in the capital increase was a clear sign of our commitment to continue supporting our partners in Uzbekistan and to remain engaged with a strategic investor such as the Korean Development Bank that is committed to helping the development of Uzbek economy," Fernand Pillonel said.
UzKDB Bank is majority-owned by the Korean Development Bank, a leading bank in South Korea, and a foreign investor in Uzbekistan with a strong commitment to expand operations within the local financial sector. KDB's long term strategy and the shareholders' decision on 29 March 2007 anticipated an injection of additional capital into UzKDB Bank.
"This is further step to develop the relationship between Uzbekistan and Korea which is also reflected in the fact that the capital increase is included in the memorandum signed between both countries earlier this year. The additional capital will allow UzKDB Bank to strengthen its further development and expand its business into the regions," Kim Jang Jin said.
SOCIETY
ON THE PROGRESSIVE LINES OF MEDICINE
The coloproctology service of Uzbekistan, keeping the leadership in the Central Asia during many years, takes an active participation in the development of medicine.
- Practically there are no Uzbek people with diseases of thick intestines which would go for treatment abroad, - tells the Head of the Republican Centre of Coloproctology Science Sarimbek Navruzov. - And inhabitants of neighboring countries come here to be treated. The matter is that Uzbekistan is the only country of the Central Asia where such operations of this area of medicine with application of modern technologies are carried out. Recently the low-invasive methods of treatment which are carried out by means of endoscopes or laparoscopes found its wide application.
Introduction of the advanced methods of treatment all over the Republic is promoted by the Centre of Coloproctology Science, which has 12 branches in regions.
- An own scientific coloproctology school was formed in the country, which not only is engaged in adapting the developments of foreign colleagues to local conditions, but also conducts the scientific work, - tells the Professor of the Tashkent Medical Academy Muhammed Ahmedov. - Only in the Republican Centre of Coloproctology Science works over thirty candidates of medical sciences, many of which are preparing to defend a thesis for a Doctor’s Degree. Fruitful cooperation in the field of science has developed with experts of the leading centers of Russia, the Great Britain, Brussels and Turkey.
TUBERCULOSIS STEPS BACK
The realization of the National program on fight against tuberculosis has allowed reducing diseases in Uzbekistan in somewhat, and today this parameter is almost a half lower than in neighboring countries. These data have sounded at the conference devoted to the issues of modern methods of preventive maintenance, diagnostics and treatment of tuberculosis of lungs, which took place in Tashkent.
- In the country the network of medical institutions function, in which patients can receive treatment on a free-of-charge basis by modern techniques, - has noted the director of the Scientific Research Institute of Phthisiology and Pulmonology Abdulla Ubaydullaev to UT. - In particular, during almost ten years together with the World Healthcare Organization the new strategy of struggle against tuberculosis DOTS has been carried out in the Republic. It provides modern approaches in diagnostics and treatment of tuberculosis. The results of medical tests can be received the next day after carrying out of micro bacterial inspection, and terms of treatment reduced by two-three times. The efficiency of full recovery reaches 95 %. The centers of this program operate in each region.
At the Scientific Research Institute of Phthisiology and Pulmonology created the reference-laboratory which for today is unique in the Central Asia by the level of potential of carrying out of bacteriological scientifically-medical researches. There has been opened a branch which is engaged in researches in the field of treatment of complex forms of tuberculosis at which available preparations in the world are ineffective.