01 February, 2007
Politics:
Political parties encouraged to build their websites
Economics:
Protocol on the effectiveness of PSA for the Aral project is signed
Tashkent hosts seminar on gaining access to carbon finance
Society:
“Selected Works” of Navoi Put Out in Azerbaijan
Uzbek Sportsmen Start at the Winter Asian Games in Changchun
POLITICS
POLITICAL PARTIES ENCOURAGED TO BUILD THEIR WEBSITES
The Institute for the Study of Civil Society together with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation conducted a roundtable meeting entitled "Political parties and Internet" on 29-30 January in Tashkent. The representatives of the Uzbek Agency of Communication and Information took part in the meeting.
The aim of the event was to discuss the opportunities offered by Internet in the promotion of a particular political line, formation of public opinion, supporting two-way communication between the voters and the parties.
At the roundtable participants discussed the need for the creation and the content of political parties' websites. Germany's experience in the sphere was studied. For this purpose Konrad Adenauer Foundation invited experts from Germany to tell the audience about the priority directions in the operation of the websites of political parties in an online regime, online PR-campaigns, etc.
The specialists of the Uzbek Agency of Communication and Information said Uzbekistan had created the legislative framework, telecommunication infrastructure and all the conditions for the formation and development of several national information resources of interest to the population and state agencies. Taking into consideration the growing importance of information and information exchange in the modern society, a national information environment is being formed, national information resources are being created and promoted. For the purpose of bringing to order and further development the extensions of the www.uz national information-search system, a technological platform for the hosting and technical support and provision of security of online state information resource has been created.
Active development of the national Internet segment has led to the increase in the number of Internet users to 1.7 million people, and the number of collective access (internet cafes) to 634. The speed of Internet connection to international information networks has reached 230 Mbit/sec. Wireless access technology (Wi-Fi) is developing and expanding rapidly. A task has been set to increase the number of national online information sources, and improve the quality of websites registered in the UZ segment of the Internet. To date the websites with entertainment, technical or private content prevailed, however today a stable increase in the official information of state agencies, educational, social, informative and media nature is being observed.
Roundtable participants also reviewed the reports, such as "Architecture" of e-government", "Role of Internet in PR-campaigns", "Importance of Internet to government agencies responsible for public relations", "Experience of foreign political parties in using Internet", etc.
ECONOMICS
PROTOCOL ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PSA FOR THE ARAL PROJECT IS SIGNED
The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan represented by the Authority (Ministry of Economy) and the participants in the Consortium of Investors consisting of the National Holding Company Uzbekneftegaz, LUKOIL Overseas (Russia), Petronas Carigali Overseas (Malaysia), CNPC International Ltd. (China) and KNOC Aral Ltd. (Korea) signed the Protocol on the effectiveness of PSA on 30 January in Tashkent with a view to implement the Production Sharing Agreement for the Uzbek part of the Aral Sea.
The PSA for the project was signed on August 30, 2006 in Tashkent. All members of the consortium have equal shares in the project. The duration of the PSA is 35 years.
The tender for the selection of contractor for 2D seismic survey on the offshore, transit and onshore area of the Uzbek part of the Aral Sea was invited at the beginning of January this year. The scope of survey will make up around 2300 line kilometers. About one fourth of the work scope will fall on the offshore area with the water depth of up to 40 meters, with another fourth falling on the transit area and half on the onshore. The tender is planned to be completed this year in March.
The exploration operations will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will cover the seismic survey and drilling of 2 exploration wells over a period of three years within the framework of the minimal program. The minimal financial commitments for that phase will amount to about 100 million dollars. The feasibility study with the subsequent approval of commercial terms and conditions of the PSA will be developed and approved upon results of the first phase, and after that the exploration activities of the second phase will be carried out.
Over the last several years, 8 gas condensate fields were discovered in the Ustyurt region, where the contract area of the PSA is located; these fields are gradually brought into development. The geological survey carried out in this region is indicative of a high hydrocarbon potential of the Aral Sea. More than 30 prospective oil and gas structures can possibly exist in the Aral offshore area of 12.5 thousand square meters.
TASHKENT HOSTS SEMINAR ON GAINING ACCESS TO CARBON FINANCE
A seminar and practical consulting sessions on "Gaining access to carbon finance" were held at the International Business Centre in Tashkent on 30 January. The event was organised by the World Bank Office in cooperation with the Government of Uzbekistan.
The events were intended for the state officials and local project officers who can potentially benefit from the Clean Development Mechanism, envisaged by the Kyoto protocol.
Seminar participants were familiarized with the role of World Bank in supporting the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and learn about the benefits that can be gained from carbon funds, appropriation of which is at the World Bank's disposal. Despite the fact that Uzbekistan ratified the protocol as of 12 October 1999, this legally founding international agreement on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at the global scale entered into force only on 16 February 2005, following the ratification by 55 countries, in accordance with the protocol provision on the minimum number of parties to the agreement.
In the course of practical consultations, the activity of the Designated National Authority (DNA) on provision of assistance in implementation of the Kyoto Protocol was discussed. The membership of the sessions relating to the DNA was limited to the representatives of state structures responsible for the administration of the activity in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol.
At the end of the seminar practical consultations were also provided for the registered project developers interested in conducting carbon finance projects. The World Bank Working Group will provide technical assistance to the participants registered for practical consultations on the compliance with the requirements set, and paperwork for the carbon finance projects.
Several enterprises had signed up for these practical consultations to cover gas and oil industry, municipal service sector and small-scale carbon finance projects.
SOCIETY
“SELECTED WORKS” OF NAVOI PUT OUT IN AZERBAIJAN
The everlasting works of the great thinker and poet Alisher Navoi became the invaluable heritage of the world literature treasury. Interest to the rich spiritual heritage of the great poet now on the rise all around the world, the Uzbekistan National News Agency reported. This month the State Publishing House «Undar» of Azerbaijan published the “Selected works” of Navoi in more than thousand copies.
Two dastans (the large volumes of poems) from “Khamsa” – “Farkhad and Shirin” and the “Seven planets” are in the collection, according to the report.
Historically the interest to the works of Navoi is huge in Azerbaijan. The great local poet Muhammad Fuzuli considered Alisher Navoi as his teacher, the literary sources suggest.
Several works of the great Uzbek poet were published in Baku in 1926. Many Azerbaijan scholars of the literature including M.F.Okhundonov, H.Orasli, and J.Nagiev studied and propagated his works.
The dastans “Farkhad and Shirin” and the “Seven planets” which were put out in 60-70s in the Azeri language have been used in the preparation of this issue. The well-known poets and interpreters Aliaga Vohid, Marvarid Dilbozi, Mammad Rahim, Nigor Rafibeyli and Aliakbar Zietoy translated the book.
UZBEK SPORTSMEN START AT THE WINTER ASIAN GAMES IN CHANGCHUN
The third day of the Winter Asian Games in Changchun Province of China has concluded, the Business Information Portal reported. The representatives of ten types of winter sports, namely skating, short-track, ice hockey, biathlon, snowboard, skiing, freestyle, curling, figure skating and mountain-skiing from all around the world are competing in Changchun these days.
Uzbek sportsmen are to join the competition today. Our mountain-skiers Guliza Gayupova, Xenia Grigoreva, Ilvira Haliulina and Madina Rasuleva are to step on the route of slalom and giant slalom mong women.Oleg Shamaev, Denis Grigorev, Nail Shriazdanov and Kayrat Ermetov will compete at the men's category.
The figure skaters will start tomorrow. Duet of Marina Aganina - Artyom Knyazev will present their show in pairs' competition and Anastasia Gimazetdinova is to render her program among singles.