18 July, 2006

Politics
Uzbek embassy in Brussels hosts briefing on abolishment of death penalty
German human rights organization welcomes abolishment of death penalty in Uzbekistan
Uzbek people call to stop fight in Middle East

Economics
NBU specialists attend conference on cashless payments in Austria
UzDaewoo Auto car output up 23% on year in Jan-Jun
Local government authorities take measures to raise employment
Unitel completes acquisition of Buztel
Info-Biznes-2006 to be held in October

Society
ECOSAN send aid for 350m soums to Karakalpakstan
Uzbek students to visit Moscow through "Open Russia!" contest

POLITICS

UZBEK EMBASSY IN BRUSSELS HOSTS BRIEFING ON ABOLISHMENT OF DEATH PENALTY

Uzbek Embassy in Brussels hosted a briefing "Uzbekistan policy on reforming and liberalization of the judicial and legal system" on the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, adopted on 29 June 2006.

Representatives of diplomatic corps, members of the European Parliament, experts, and journalists took part at the briefing, which took place on 12 July.

The briefing was dedicated to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov "On additional measures to prepare legislative and normative-legal acts that are subject to adoption in virtue of abolishment of death penalty in the Republic of Uzbekistan", which was adopted on 29 June 2006.

It was underlined at the briefing that the present policy of Uzbekistan in sphere of criminal and justice, especially application of a death penalty fully complies with world tendencies and reflects principles of humanism and equity.

The decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On measures to improve the legislation in the field of liberalizing the criminal punishment and judicial-legal system" authorizes the list of normative-legal acts, which are subject to adoption, amendments and additions in connection with death penalty abolishment and its replacement by life or long term imprisonment.

Alongside with this, execution mechanisms of re-entered kinds of criminal punishments are worked out; measures on preparation of law enforcement bodies' employees and judges are being worked out and realized for realization of justice and law enforcement practice according to the new criminal, criminal procedural legislation.

John Attard Montalto, MEP from Malta, said in interview with Jahon news agency the abolishment of death penalty in any country is important to ensure human rights. He said the decree of the Uzbek president is very important decision, which welcomed by international community.

Attard Montalto also noted the low level of crimes in Uzbekistan compared to western states and European countries.

Annet Godart van der Kroon, president of Ludwig von Mises Institute Europe, evolutional approach of the Uzbek leadership to abolishment of death penalty is wise decision, which will allow preventing mistakes in this process.

GERMAN HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION WELCOMES ABOLISHMENT OF DEATH PENALTY IN UZBEKISTAN

German human rights organization welcomed the decision of the Uzbek government on abolishment of death penalty.

The Uzbek embassy in Germany received letter of head of Alive human rights organisation Petra Hermann and letter noted that Alive observed development of Uzbekistan with interest.

Alive is human rights organization and it is member of Human Rights Forum of Germany, which carried out active campaigns against abolishment of death penalty in various parts of the world, including in the USA.

The letter noted that decrease of articles of Criminal Code, which envisages death penalty, was the first step of Uzbekistan to abolishment of death penalty. It added that the German organisation received information on order of the Uzbek president "On additional measures to prepare legislative and normative-legal acts that are subject to adoption in virtue of abolishment of death penalty in the Republic of Uzbekistan" with great happiness.

The order envisages creation of special group, which will develop legislative ground for abolishment of death penalty from 1 January 2008.

Petra Hermann said in her letter that the measures, shown in order, demonstrate firm will of the leadership of Uzbekistan to abolish death penalty from punishment system. She said the death penalty do not promotes decrease of crime as statistics shows. She added that death penalty can increase violence and administration of justice is not protected from mistakes, which can cost human lives.

The letter said that the organisation is happy that Uzbekistan will soon join countries, which abolished death penalties.

UZBEK PEOPLE CALL TO STOP FIGHT IN MIDDLE EAST

People of Uzbekistan perceived with warning news on growing armed conflict in Middle East and expressed concern that these events can threat to security of the whole region, a statement of Uzbek Foreign Ministry's Jahon news agency said.

Heavy incidents, taking place at Israeli-Lebanese border, can fully destabilize situation in the region, which is difficult anyway, and can bring to wide-scale humanitarian catastrophe.

Continuing missile attacks and bombings will bring to growth of the number of victims among innocent population, including children and women.

People of Uzbekistan call the sides to stop use of weapons and force and resolve problems only with peaceful means, by means of negotiations.

ECONOMICS

NBU SPECIALISTS ATTEND CONFERENCE ON CASHLESS PAYMENTS IN AUSTRIA

Representatives of National Bank of Uzbekistan for Foreign Economic Activity participated in the work of the Eleventh International Annual Conference BGS Partners Group from 27 June and 2 July.

The conference, which was held in Austria, was entitled "Practical experience and strategy on promotion of card products at national payment systems", the NBU's press service said in its release on 17 July.

The conference directed to acquaint with current state and trends in development of payment systems and change of cash payments to cashless payments.

Lyudmila Bodyagina, head of Main Department on money circulation of NBU, delivered a report "Role and significance of National Bank in development of Interbank Payment System, created in Uzbekistan".

Bodyagina noted in her report that the NBU is largest participant of Interbank Payment System in terms of issued plastic cards and transaction, carried out with use of plastic cards. It was noted that NBU serves as clearing centre.

It was noted that the Uzbek bank emitted 258,500 plastic cards in six months of 2006 and total number of cards reached 804,700. Total volume of operations with cards made up 25.7 billion soums, of which 11.8 billion soums fell to share terminals at trade-service points.

The number of trade-service enterprises, which accept soum plastic cards, reached 1,487 and they have some 1,575 terminals. The share of cashless transaction, carried out with plastic cards, made up 45.9% from total transactions of the bank, while according to Sbercard (operator of Russian payment system Sbercard) this figure comprised 7% on Duet cards, issued in Russia.

The press service of NBU said it received crystal prize as the winner in nomination "Best Customer of Intellectual technologies".

UZDAEWOO AUTO CAR OUTPUT UP 23% ON YEAR IN JANUARY-JUNE 2006

The car output of UzDaewoo Auto, Uzbek car marker, rose 23% on the year to 63,736 units in January-June, the State Statistics Committee said.

Of the total, the output of Nexia cars increased 15.6% on the year to 35,171 cars, the output of Matiz cars rose 63% to 21,426 cars, the output of Damas cars fell 1.6% to 7,054 cars and the output of Lacetti cars dropped to 85 cars from about 1,030 cars in the same period last year, the statistics office said.

In 2005, the plant's car output rose 44.2% on the year to 101,010 cars, exports rose 48.9% to 53,092 cars, and domestic car supplies increased 32.4% to 46,127 cars.

This year, the company plans to produce 142,000 cars, including 68,500 cars for export, while in 2008 UzDaewoo Auto plans to produce 200,000 cars.

UzDaewoo Auto, formerly an Uzbek-South Korean car manufacturing joint venture, is fully owned by the Uzbek association of car producers Uzavtosanoat.

In mid-October 2005 UzDaewoo Auto extended its agreement with the US-based General Motors on component part supplies from companies in South Korea.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES TAKE MEASURES TO RAISE EMPLOYMENT

Local government authorities in close cooperation with the State Committee for Demonopolisation and Support of Competition, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan have developed and approved the programmes of provision of employment to the population, support and development of enterprise and competition for 2006-2007.

In line with the programme, in 2006-2007, in total across the republic employment will be provided to 968,581 people. For this purpose it is envisioned to invest 1,434,573.6 million soums, including the funds of the state budget in the amount of 188,334.3 million soums. Thus, through the investment of these funds, 27,769 jobs will be created at new objects, 42,040 jobs through the reconstruction and expansion of companies, 18,078 – through the increased level of the use of available production capacity at the existing companies, 279,018 – through the creation of new small enterprises and micro-firms, 181,833– through the development of enterprise without the formation of legal entities, 112,407- through the creation of new farms, 17,334 – through the development of social infrastructure, 9,452 – through the development of market infrastructure, and 280,650 – through the organization of home-based labour.

Of the total of 280,650 jobs to be created through the organization of home-base labour, 139,999 will be created based on labour contracts, 80,529 – on contractor's agreements, and 60,122 – in the sphere of family business.

The Order of control over the implementation of the tasks set was developed and approved. Monitoring groups have been created and constant supervision over the course of the implementation of the programmes is carried on.

UNITEL COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF BUZTEL

Unitel, the second largest Uzbek mobile phone operator, said on Monday, 17 July, that it completed acquisition of Bakrie Uzbekistan Telecom (Buztel).

Unitel said the re-organization will not affect subscribers and prices and terms will not change. At the same time, the company said Buztel subscribers will be served on existing tariffs of Unitel.

VimpelCom, Russian mobile phone operator, acquired both Unitel and Buztel in February 2006 and said it will merge them. It also said its Uzbek subsidiary will start to render services under Beeline brand soon. Beeline brand, which VimpelCom uses to promote its services, valued at US$5 billion.

Vimpel-Communications open joint-stock company (VimpelCom) acquired Unitel for US$207.7 million and Buztel for US$62.4 million.

INFO-BIZNES-2006 TO BE HELD IN OCTOBER

International exhibition Info-Biznes-2006 will be held on 5-7 October 2006 at the Central Exhibition Hall of Uzbek Art Academy.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and Zakovat Public Fund on Information Support of Businesses are organizers of the event.

The exhibition is held to assist to stir up activity of business information market, spread of legal, marketing and advertisement information, development and design of web sites.

SOCIETY

ECOSAN SEND AID FOR 350M SOUMS TO KARAKALPAKSTAN

International organisation ECOSAN has sent humanitarian aid worth 350 million soums to Karakalpstan at assistance of Uzbek Health Ministry and Uzbekistan Temir Yollari (Uzbekistan Railways).

The humanitarian aid includes medical equipment, syringes, medicaments, wheelchairs, cloths and shoes, consumer goods and others. The aid for 78 million soums will be directed to social objects and low income families of Muynak city, epicenter of Aral crisis.

Medical specialists of Tashkent city also will visit Karakalpakstan and examine local population.

UZBEK STUDENTS TO VISIT MOSCOW THROUGH "OPEN RUSSIA!" CONTEST

Uzbek students will visit the capital of Russia soon. A trip to Moscow is the main prize of the "Open Russia!" contest which was organized with support of Russian embassy, representative office of Roszarubejcentre (Russian foreign centre) in Uzbekistan and Republican Russian Culture Centre.

Solemn ceremony of awarding winners of the "Open Russia!" contest was held in the embassy of Russian Federation in Tashkent.

"Education is priority of the state policy," said Svetlana Gerasimova, Chairman of the Russian Culture Centre of Uzbekistan, senator of Oliy Majlis. "When society asks what person will create and strengthen country in the future, of course the answer is well educated person. These are young people knowing well history not only of their country, but also of other countries. Children of different nationalities are interested in Russia". "Youth is support of the state. The level of education has an impact on the future of the state," noted Igor Demidov, Advisor of Russian envoy to Uzbekistan, "I'm pleased to note that young people aspire to study the history of Russia. I wish organizers of the contest had the number of participants growing every year".

The decisive second round of the contest envisaged four stages. Students had to answer various tricky questions of jury from the history of Russia. They discussed how Russia will be after 10 years, in which historical epoch they would like to live.

Leonid Pankratov, 2nd year student of the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek took the first place. Nadejda Steshenko, 3rd year student of Tashkent University of Information Technologies, and Dmitriy Yakunin, 2nd year student of the same university, also showed good results in the contest.

"Open Russia!" contest is held every year not only among university students, but also among schoolchildren of Uzbekistan. By the way, 70 children – winners of this year – will go to Moscow to see Russia with their own eyes.