14 June, 2006

Politics
President of Uzbekistan arrives in Shanghai for SCO summit
Shanghai security group set for jubilee summit
SCO anti-terror agency successful: official
Nearly 800 reporters to cover upcoming SCO summit
UN Secretary-General hails growing regional role of SCO
SCO emphasizes humanistic exchange
SCO summit to enhance anti-terror cooperation: Russian Deputy FM
SCO summit helpful to improving Central Asian situation: Russian expert
Amendments introduced to legislation on defence

Business
SCO businesses, banks to sign loans for US$2bln
Investments to fixed capital in Uzbekistan rise by 4.5% year-on-year in 1 quarter
China's CNPC to look for oil in Uzbekistan

Society
German envoy hands over diplomas to Uzbek students
Fifth CARK Education forum opens in Ashgabat
Ecosan sends aid for 20m to three Uzbek regions
Documentary on environment presented in Tashkent
Gala concert held in Tashkent on occasion of Day of Russia
Exhibition of children art "Eternal friendship. Uzbekistan-Russia"
Uzbek football fans ride 6500 km for Germany

More information about the Republic of Uzbekistan you could find from the Internet site: www.uzbekistan.be

POLITICS

UZBEK PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN SHANGHAI FOR SCO SUMMIT

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov arrived in Shanghai on 14 June to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

"The SCO is playing an increasingly important role in maintaining security within the SCO region," Islam Karimov said in an interview with Chinese media ahead of the SCO summit. (UzReport.com)

SHANGHAI SECURITY GROUP SET FOR JUBILEE SUMMIT

Leaders of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will gather in the China Wednesday for a two-day jubilee summit.

The leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and China will mark five years since the regional security forum was founded in Shanghai in July 2001.

Under the chairmanship of the host, Chinese leader Hu Jintao, the SCO summit is expected to review the five years of the organization's activities, exchange opinions on international and regional affairs and draw up plans for further development. The leaders are also expected to sign a set of agreements, the forum's press center said.

The SCO originally dealt with security and confidence-building measures, including border conflicts, terrorism and militant Islam. Today the organization also covers economics, transportation, culture, disaster relief, and law enforcement, but security and economic cooperation are priorities. (RIA Novosti)

SCO ANTI-TERROR AGENCY SUCCESSFUL: OFFICIAL

The regional anti-terror agency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been successful since it was put into motion here two years ago, said Vyacheslav Kasimov, director of the agency's executive committee.

In an interview with Xinhua ahead of the 2006 SCO summit to he held in Shanghai on Thursday, Kasimov said his agency has effectively carried out international anti-terror cooperation, adopted early-warning and prevention measures to help keep the overall security situation of SCO member countries stable.

According to the plans outlined by the Astana summit last July, the anti-terror agency coordinated military drills in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with an eye on boosting the SCO states' capability to deal with emergencies situations, Kasimov said. The Tashkent-based agency hosted a meeting of SCO member countries on fighting money laundering and financial terrorism last December on which all participants vowed to strengthen cooperation, the official added.

The agency spared no efforts to collect information about extremist organizations and terror suspects and posted the blacklist on the website, Kasimov said, adding the agency also established working relations with other regional anti-terror groups and relevant UN agencies.

But the official noted that the legal basis for the agency is still in the buildup process. At Thursday's summit, the heads of state are expected to sign a cooperation compendium on fighting the "three evil forces" during the 2007-2009 period, he said.

As for the future priorities of the regional anti-terror agency, Kasimov said the most important task is to set up a security database to improve information analysis against terror.

The SCO body was set up in June 2004 to facilitate cooperation among the six SCO member states in their fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism.

The SCO groups China, Russia and four Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. (Xinhua)

NEARLY 800 REPORTERS TO COVER UPCOMING SCO SUMMIT

Nearly 800 Chinese and foreign reporters have applied to cover the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Shanghai, the birth place of the regional group.

"By Monday, a total of 796 reporters from 27 countries and regions have registered for covering the event," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on 12 June.

These reporters are from 128 news organizations, including 329 from 23 foreign countries, Qin said.

Established in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India were granted SCO observer status in 2004.

Heads of state of the six SCO member countries and leaders as well as representatives of the observers will attend the upcoming summit. They are expected to issue a declaration to summarize the SCO's work in the past years and plan its tasks for the future.

"What interests me most are the prospect of the organization and what this regional organization will bring to Shanghai, China and the region," said Shao Ling, a reporter with the Shanghai- based Wenhui Daily, who has over the past dozen days written several stories on how Shanghai has prepared itself for the SCO summit.

The international press center, located by the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in the booming Pudong New District, opened to reporters who have come to cover the event on Monday. The 2,700-square-meter press center is divided into several sections for press work, recreation, public service and other purposes. Internet, fax, phone, TV and other telecommunication services are available to journalists.

The world's leading news agencies, including Xinhua, Associated Press, Reuters, have set up booths in the press center.

China's Central Television organized the biggest team of 227 journalists, cameramen, editors and other staff, among all the media registered for the summit.

"The fact that such a big number of Chinese and foreign reporters come to cover the summit indicates that the SCO and its summit have drawn increasing attention of international media," Qin said. (Xinhua)

UN SECRETARY-GENERAL HAILS GROWING REGIONAL ROLE OF SCO

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan hailed the growing regional role of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in a message to its summit meeting.

In the message released Monday, Annan congratulated the fifth anniversary of the SCO, and wished the success of the vital endeavours by the organization.

He said the organization has become an important regional grouping, and plays a serious role in addressing issues of peace and security in a part of Asia encompassing a large territory and a population of nearly 1.5 billion people.

"SCO member states have demonstrated, in concrete terms, their commitment to strengthening dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding, and have developed mechanisms and institutions to achieve these objectives," he observed.

The secretary-general added that the SCO has also expanded its scope of activities, welcome evidence of deepening ties between member states and their confidence in the organization.

"Indeed, you are now active on many of the most important issues of our times. You are trying to do more to safeguard the environment, promote development, and ensure that people have opportunities to compete fairly in the global trading regime," Annan noted.

He pointed out that SCO member states have made efforts to combat the menace of terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

"These initiatives point to the increasing interconnectedness of member states, and the enormous potential for mutual benefit and growth through cooperation," he stressed. On the cooperation between the SCO and the United Nations, the secretary-general said the SCO has established close working contacts with ESCAP, UNDP and other UN agencies, and now has observer status in the General Assembly.

"The SCO also sent a senior representative to the last year's high-level meeting between the UN and regional and other intergovernmental organizations," he noted, hoping the SCO will be represented at the seventh such meeting this year at the highest possible level. (UzReport.com)

SCO EMPHASIZES HUMANISTIC EXCHANGE

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has ventured into humanistic exchange while the five-year-old regional body expanded its scope of cooperation from security.

Accounting for a quarter of the world's total population, the SCO members are making new achievements in humanistic exchanges.

Although these countries have their own distinctive culture, they have a long tradition of conducting close exchanges and learning from each other, which has in turn boosted their mutual understanding and enhanced their own national culture.

When first founded, the regional group was primarily concerned with such security issues as anti-terrorism and the fight against the "three forces," namely, terrorism, separatism and extremism.

In the ensuing years, the SCO members have made arduous efforts to boost cooperation in economy and trade, developing 127 joint projects and setting up seven working groups for this purpose.

In the meantime, leaders of the six SCO member states repeatedly voiced importance of humanistic cooperation.

Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in culture, education, environmental protection and disaster relief has been going on smoothly among the group's members.

In the ongoing 2006 Russia year in China, the two SCO member countries enhanced their humanistic exchanges by staging over 200 Russian cultural or scientific activities in China.

SCO culture ministers have also agreed on the 2005-2006 multilateral cultural cooperation program following the first SCO culture and art festival in Astana, Kazakhstan during the organization's 2005 summit.

The second SCO culture and art festival will be staged during the 2006 summit in Shanghai, slated for 15 June, Xinhua reported.

At the Astana summit, Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged to train 1,500 specialists in various areas for other members of the SCO, which also groups Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and has Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India as observers.

Under other SCO projects, artists from Russia and Central Asian countries have put on a series of performances in China while more and more people in these countries have started to learn the Chinese language and culture. (UzReport.com)

SCO SUMMIT TO ENHANCE ANTI-TERROR COOPERATION: RUSSIAN DEPUTY FM

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization's leaders plan to sign several agreements enhancing anti-terror cooperation at their summit in Shanghai on Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev said in Moscow on Monday.

"Joint efforts against terrorism, separatism and extremism, the fight against illicit drug and arms trafficking, and illegal migration are among the key goals and objectives of the organization," Alexeyev told to Itar-TASS.

Work is coordinated through meetings of the national Security Council secretaries and the Regional Anti-Terror Structure (RATS), which "prepares proposals on the development of cooperation in this field for relevant structures in the SCO member countries, and builds up the RATS databank on international terrorists, separatists or other extremists," Alexeyev said.

The leaders of the six SCO member states - Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan - also plan to sign "agreements on cooperation in exposing and blocking channels used for infiltrating persons involved in terrorist, separatist and extremist activities into the SCO countries," he said.

"The scale and nature of transborder threats are such that the operations of special agencies alone are not enough. The defense ministries have also become involved in anti-terror work within the SCO," the diplomat said.

In 2003, an anti-terror exercise code named Cooperation-2003 was held in Kazakhstan and China. It involved more than 1,000 military servicemen from Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.

"A similar exercise is planned to be held in Russia" in 2007, Alexeyev said. (ITAR-TASS)

SCO SUMMIT HELPFUL TO IMPROVING CENTRAL ASIAN SITUATION: RUSSIAN EXPERT

The upcoming 2006 summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) due to be held on Thursdayin Shanghai contains positive meanings for the healthy and stable development of the situation in Central Asia, a Russian expert said in interview with Xinhua.

"Based on the spirit of consultation, coordination and not targeting any third country, the SCO was established as an organization dedicated to promoting cooperation, understanding and stability among member states," said Mikhail Titarenko, head of the Far East Research Institute of the Russian Science Academy.

"The member states respect the choices of one another, learn from the others to the maximum extent, and seek common development in the political, economic and security field, which helps lift the SCO's prestige," Titarenko said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Reviewing the past five years since the founding of the organization, Titarenko said the group has moved from the period of talks to the period of actions. He cited the Russia-China joint military exercise conducted last year.

Regarding economic and trade cooperation, Titarenko said he believed the SCO member states should exploit more joint projects in the energy field.

Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO comprises China, Russia and four Central Asian countries, namely, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The heads of state of the six member countries will attend this year's summit to mark the SCO's fifth anniversary, along with leaders or representatives from observer countries and international organizations that have ties with the regional group. (Xinhua)

AMENDMENTS INTRODUCED TO LEGISLATION ON DEFENCE

The Senate of Uzbekistan drew a distinction between the authorities of the President and the Cabinet of Ministers in supporting the defensive capacity of the country by adopting the Law "On introduction of amendments and additional provisions to the Laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Defence", "On universal military service", "On service in the reserve of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan", the upper chamber's press service said.

The primary objective of the law is to provide legal framework for the activity of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the country, as well as to define the authority of the government in ensuring state security and defensive capacity of the country.

According to the press service, the amendments introduced include in the authority of the President strategically important defence-related issues, such as administration of the activity of the government agencies in the field of defence, determination of norms for and size of armament, military technology, military-technical and material property, as well as adoption of decisions on call-up and discharge to the reserve, call for assembly, issuance of decrees on mobilisation and demobilisation. The competence of the Government will retain the issues regarding the provision of the armed forces with armament, military technology, military-technical and material property, foodstuffs, and other material-technical means. The Government will also be responsible for the issues of material and social-household provision of armed forces. (UzReport.com)

ECONOMICS

SCO BUSINESSES, BANKS TO SIGN LOANS FOR US$2BLN

Some US$2 billion worth of business contracts and loan agreements are expected to be inked on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit scheduled on Thursday in the Chinese economic hub of Shanghai.

Those deals will involve a highway project connecting Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, two high-voltage electricity lines in Tajikistan, a cement plant in Kyrgyzstan with a daily production of 2,500 tonnes, and a hydropower station in Kazakhstan.

"The projects are significant for the economic development of the region and related countries," Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Yu Guangzhou told a press briefing Tuesday.

He described the deals as "big presents" for the 15 June SCO summit, which will involve the heads of state of China, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. China hopes to further expand trade with SCO members, Yu said. "With increasing exports and imports of natural resources, we should pay more attention to speeding up the trade of machinery and electronic products, high-tech goods and well-known brand products."

Trade between China and the other five SCO members hit 37 billion U.S. dollars in 2005, up 212 percent over that of 2001 when the SCO was founded, Chinese customs figures show.

Up to now, investment between SCO members surged to US$15 billion, covering oil and gas exploration, transportation, telecommunication, electricity, chemical industry, construction material, project contract and agriculture.

According to an action plan adopted by a meeting of SCO government heads in 2004, the six member countries will join hands in 127 economic and technological projects, which will require 10 billion U.S. dollars on the whole.

Besides the resolve and effort of the governments, substantial cooperation between companies in SCO member countries is also very important. To boost such cooperation, the SCO will host an industry and business forum and announce the official establishment of entrepreneurs' council on the sidelines of the summit.

Some 500 business people, government officials and scholars have registered for the forum and the council's first meeting. Topics will focus on trade and investment facilitation, cooperation in bidding projects in major sectors such as energy, transportation and telecommunication and regional funding system.

In fact, the SCO has instituted a road-map for regional economic cooperation which includes "three leaps": to facilitate trade and investment, to deepen economic cooperation and to realize the free flow of goods, capital, services and technology.

"When joint cooperation is carried out and all the projects are implemented, we will forge a network of energy, transportation and telecommunication in the region, which will boost our economic ties and benefit the growth of the organization," Yu said. (UzReport.com)

INVESTMENTS TO FIXED CAPITAL IN UZBEKISTAN RISE BY 4.5% YEAR-ON-YEAR IN 1 QUARTER

Investments to fixed capital in Uzbekistan made up 615.6 billion soums in the first quarter of 2006 or increased by 4.5% year-on-year.

Uzbek State Statistics Committee said in its quarterly report that 426.6 billion soums were directed to non-governmental companies.

The report said 33.6% of funds to non-governmental sector came from non-budget funds and 25.9% from own funds of companies and 27.5% from state budget.

State companies invested to fixed capital 191 billion soums, of which 64.4% were own funds of enterprises.

Significant part of investments – 413.2 billion spums or 67.1% - were directed to production sectors of economy. Enterprises of fuel-energy complex, chemistry, metallurgy and machinery used 193 billion of investments. (UzReport.com)

CHINA'S CNPC TO LOOK FOR OIL IN UZBEKISTAN

A subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) plans to spend $210 million to look for oil and gas in Uzbekistan over the next five years, the Central Asian nation's state energy company said on Tuesday.

Uzbekneftegaz said in a statement the Uzbek government and CNODC, the CNPC subsidiary, had reached a deal to carry out drilling in five different locations. It said the two sides will set up joint ventures to develop deposits.

CNPC has spent billions of dollars overseas to hunt for energy sources to satisfy China's surging oil demand. It has taken over PetroKazakhstan in neighboring Kazakhstan for $4.2 billion.

CNPC is the parent company of Hong Kong and New York-listed PetroChina. (Reuters)

SOCIETY

GERMAN ENVOY HANDS OVER DIPLOMAS TO UZBEK STUDENTS

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Uzbekistan Hans-Joachim Kiderlen handed over diplomas of second level of Regular Conference of Ministry of Culture and Education of Germany on 13 June.

Over 25 students of school No 60 in Tashkent, school No 6 in Margilan and school No 51 in Samarkand, which specialize on teaching German, received diplomas from Germany envoy.

It should be noted that five teachers of three schools also received diplomas.

Embassy of Germany in Uzbekistan has been holding various contests and exams to receive this prestigious diploma since 1998. Over 300 students received diplomas up to date.

German language diploma developed in Germany and handed over by German government. German diploma of the second level allows its owner to enter any German universities without additional exams of German language. (UzReport.com)

FIFTH CARK EDUCATION FORUM OPENS IN ASHGABAT

Education deputy ministers of the five Central Asian republics and representatives of international organisations including UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank and USAID were among the one hundred participants who attended the opening ceremony of the (CARK) Education Forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

UNICEF Deputy Regional Director Shanaz Kianian-Firouzgar underscored the valuable role that the annual CARK Education Forum has played with respect to the commitments made by Central Asian governments at the United Nations Millennium Summit and the Dakar World Education Forum.

"This Forum also helps us to look forward and agree on what we need to do in order to ensure that the six goals which we seek to achieve for this region will be realised by 2015," Firouzgar said.

Firouzgar challenged Forum delegations to look at four critical issues concerning basic education in the region. These include provision of pre-school education, promotion of inclusive education and child-friendly learning environments, provision of quality education including enhancement of teachers' capacity, development of relevant curricula and textbooks and other learning materials and involvement of parents and communities in children's education.

According to Firouzgar, the economic growth being witnessed in the region is not enough to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and Education for All goals if it is not coupled with sound social policies that encourage investment in children: in their education, health and in the provision of services.

Investing in education was also echoed by UNICEF Representative and Acting UN Resident Coordinator Mahboob Shareef. In his opening speech, Shareef called upon Central Asian education officials to reiterate their "commitment to place children on top of the development agenda and at the centre of all available resources and programmes."

Shareef also stressed the importance of data collection and analysis in measuring the progress that Central Asian countries have made towards achieving the goals of Millennium Development Summit, Education for All and World Fit for Children.

The theme of this year's Forum is 'Moving Forward to Achieve EFA Goals'. At the end of the three-day Forum, participants are expected to have deliberated and agreed on a common resolution on the steps and measures that needed to be made to ensure that access, equity, quality and relevance of education in each of the countries in Central Asia are appropriately addressed. (UzReport.com)

ECOSAN SENDS AID FOR 20M TO THREE UZBEK REGIONS

Ecosan, international ecology and health organization, sent a humanitarian aid worth 20 million soums to Buhara, Samarkand and Navoi regions on Tuesday, 13 June.

The aid includes children cloths and shoes, bed-clothes and disinfections means and will be delivered to sanitary camps in Navoi, Bukhara and Samarkand regions, population and social objects of Navoi region.

The action was organized in cooperation with Uzbekistan Temir Yollar (Uzbekistan Railways). (UzReport.com)

DOCUMENTARY ON ENVIRONMENT PRESENTED IN TASHKENT

A 30-minute educational documentary "A day, which changed my attitude to environment" was presented in Tashkent on 13 June.

The documentary is joint project of Atrof-muhit va Sog'lom Hayot public center. Uzbek Public Education Ministry, State Nature Committee, British Council and others attended the presentation.

Students prepared the documentary, designed for 14-18 aged. A group of students, selected to the project, gathered information, developed script and shot documentary. The documentary aimed at improve knowledge of youth on ecologic problems and ways of their solution. Additionally methodical manual for teachers was developed along with documentary. (UzReport.com)

GALA CONCERT HELD IN TASHKENT ON OCCASION OF DAY OF RUSSIA

Gala concert of the performers of Russia and Uzbekistan organized on the occasion of the Day of Russia was held at the State Academic Bolshoy Theatre Named after Alisher Navoi.

The Embassy of Russia in Uzbekistan and the Office of Russian Foreign Center organized the event. The performances of the eminent figures, such as soloist of the Bolshoy Theatre of Russia and Academic Musical Theatre Named after Stanislavskiy and Nemirovich-Danchenko, National Artist of Russia Eugeniy Polikanin, actor, singer, romance performer, honoured artist of Russia Leonid Serebrennikov, national artist of the USSR Vasiliy Lanovoy, honoured artist of Russia Alexey Kuznetsov, as well as young soloists of the State Academic Bolshoy Theatre Named after Alisher Navoi, laureates of international contets Normumin Sultanov, Saida Mamadalieva, honoured artist of Uzbekistan Avaz Rajapov, soloists of the ballet accompanied by the Symphonic orchestra of Navoi Theatre directed by Fazlitdin Yakubjanov, Dilbar Abdurahmanova, and Anvar Ergashev were included in the programme of the night.

The concert started with the overture to "Ruslan and Lyudmila" of M. I. Glinka performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of the Navoi Theatre under the direction of Fazlitdin Yakubjanov.

It was followed by the performance of the honoured artist of Russia, actor of the Theatre Named after Vahtangov Alexey Kuznetsov, who read the poems of Sergey Esenin "Sobake Kochalova" (To Kochalov's Dog) and "My teper uhodim ponemnogu" (We are now leaving bit by bit).

The actor of theatre and cinema, national artist of the USSR Vasiliy Lanovoy told the audience about several years Pushkin, famous Russian poet, spent in the place of Mihaylovo, and his relations with the family of Osipovs-Wulf and Anna Kern. He then read famous poem "Ya pomnyu chudnoye mgnovenye" (I remember a wonderful moment) and poems written in the album of three young ladies of Wulfs family. He closed the performance with the bright reading of Mayakovskiy's poem, after which the audience burst into applause and would not let the actor leave the stage.

Next came the performance of the wonderful tenor of Soviet cinematography, national artist of Russia Leonid Serebrennikov. He reminded the audience of the movies for which he performed songs. This includes over 70 works, including "Simple Miracle", "Dulsineya Tobosskaya", "Hat", "Velvety season", "Maria-Mirabella", etc. The singer has no educational background in music, but has the diploma of an actor.

The audience that was not familiar with the face of the artist, burst into applause as he started to sing "Nelepo, smeshno, bezrassudno, bezumno, volshebno…" ("Absurdly, ridiculously, blindly, madly, wonderfully…") from the movie directed by Mark Zaharov "Obyknovennoye chudo" (Simple Miracle). The actor then performed "Yest tolko mig" (There's only an instant) from "Zemlya Sannikova" (Sannikov's Land), romance "Beloy akatsii grozdya dushistiye" (Sweet-scented clusters of white acacia) from "Dni Turbinih" (Turbins' Days), and potpourri from many famous songs.

The programme also included the aria of Levko from the opera of Rimsky-Korsakov "May night" performed by Normumin Sultanov, adagio from the ballet of Tchaikovsky "Swan Lake", and ballet of the Uzbek composer Anvar Ergashev "Humo".

The audience was impressed by the performance of the soloist of the Bolshoy Theatre of Russia, national artist of Russia Eugeniy POlikanin. His powerful voice and artistry made the aria of Mazepa from the opera of Tchaikovsky, couplets of Toreador from the opera of George Bizet "Carmen" and Russian folk song "Vdol po Piterskoy" (Along the Piterskaya Street) simply amazing.

At the end of the concert Vasiliy Lanovoy and Alexey Kuznetsov performed a scene from the story of Anton Chehov "Diplomat", which was apparently not envisioned in the programme, as it was performed at the meeting with the students of the Institute of Art named after Mannon Uygur, but the actors decided to make a present for the Tashkent audience. Both actors demonstrated their best skills. The audience laughed at the funny scenes, after which it rewarded the actors with flours and a round of applause.

In conclusion of the concert Eurgeniy Polikanin and Avaz Rajabov in duet sang "The Waltz of Moscow" from the movie "pig-tender and shepherd". The joint performance of these and other Russian and Uzbek actors and artists demonstrated strong friendship between Russia and Uzbekistan. (UzReport.com)

EXHIBITION OF CHILDREN ART "ETERNAL FRIENDSHIP. UZBEKISTAN-RUSSIA"

Exhibition of children art "Eternal friendship. Uzbekistan-Russia" opened in Tashkent on 12 June within celebration of Day of Russia.

The exposition demonstrated paintings, handmade products, embroidery and other works of Uzbek children.

Fund Institute of Eurasian Researches and Direction of National Centre on Children Art of Uzbekistan organized the event.

Nikolai Svetkov, deputy head of department of Russian President on interregional and cultural relations with foreign countries, said it is great to see that Day of Russia marked not only by Russian, but also by other nations.

Winners of the exhibition received prizes. (UzReport.com)

UZBEK FOOTBALL FANS RIDE 6500 KM FOR GERMANY

Two Uzbek soccer fans rode more than 6500 km on bicycle from Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent to Berlin in order to get an autograph of German team spare goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.

The goalkeeper of “Bavaria” learned about his Uzbek fans, Akram Marfuzhonov and Musadzon Hornidov, from the local newspaper and said he has been shocked. “I can’t believe it, it’s inconceivable!” - Kahn said.

Although the goalkeeper was very busy on the eve of the Championship, he found time to meet with his admirers.

“It the greatest honor for me to meet with you, Mr. Kahn” - said deeply touched Marfuzhonov. The two friends had started their trip to Berlin, where the World Soccer Championship 2006 takes place, in March.

This year the former goalkeeper of combined German soccer team and then a goalkeeper of Munich “Bavaria”, Oliver Kahn is playing for the German national team in the World Soccer Championship. This the fourth time Kahn takes part in Soccer Championship. (Izvestia)