24 July, 2006
Politics
Moscow Summit of CIS
Uzbek, Egyptian FMs to meet in August – envoy
Economics
President resolves to improve scrap picking, processing system
Uzbekistan: UzDaewoo plant celebrates tenth anniversary
Uzbekistan Railways to hold $150 mln tender for railroad construction
Enterprises Establish Cooperation With Home-Based Labor
Uzbekistan Havo Yollari opens cargo flight to Bangladesh
Uzbek air carrier to fly to Astana seven times a week
Society
Japan grants US$225,705 to three Uzbek hospitals
"Human and Nature Interaction in the History of Ancient Karshi" Contest
Uzbek photo-exhibition opens in Parliament building of Japan
POLITICS
MOSCOW SUMMIT OF CIS
The informal summit of Commonwealth of Independent States took place in the Kremlin.
The presidents of Russia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the summit.
The issues of cooperation within the framework of CIS and its reforming were discussed during the summit.
The President of Uzbekistan of Islam Karimov met with the President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev. During the meeting they discussed the issues of further developing the relations between two countries. (UzA)
UZBEK, EGYPTIAN FMS TO MEET IN AUGUST – ENVOY
Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan and Egypt will hold political consultations in August in Cairo, Egypt, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Egypt to Uzbekistan Nadia Kafafi said.
She added that the session of intergovernmental commission will gather in the end of the year to discuss perspectives of bilateral relations.
Egyptian diplomat stated that the relations between two states in political sphere prevail economic. She added that Uzbekistan and Egypt have common views on many international issues, including fight against terrorism.
Nadia Kafafi underlined that tourism takes special place in cooperation between two countries and both countries have unique historical monuments. She said historical and architectural sights of Uzbekistan can play important role in attraction of tourists to the country.
Egyptian envoy said the relations in education and culture are also developing and added that universities of two states signed over 10 documents and they are exchanging students. Over 20 teachers from Egypt are working in educational establishments of Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.
ECONOMICS
PRESIDENT RESOLVES TO IMPROVE SCRAP PICKING, PROCESSING SYSTEM
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed resolution "On improvement of the system of picking, procurement and processing of scrap, waste of non-ferrous metals" on 18 July 2006.
The document is aimed at suppression of illegal circulation of non-ferrous metals, prevention of their embezzlement from working production units, as well as ensuring the completeness of accounting of formation and usage of scrap and waste of non-ferrous metals, development of production on their complex and deep processing.
The resolution envisages reorganization of Uzvtortsvetmet (Uzbek secondary non-ferrous metals) open joint-stock company and its regional divisions and creation on their basis of Tashkent Scrap and Non-Ferrous Metal Waste Processing Plant OJSC.
The new plant will engage in system work on complex, deep processing of scrap and non-ferrous metal waste, production of metal roll, alloys and ready products for production needs of national consumers and expansion of export supplies.
According to the document, a special commission has been created to solve issues connected with reorganization of Uzvtortsvetmet and its regional divisions. The commission together with State Property Committee of Uzbekistan shall assist in formation of charter capital of the new plant, distribution of shares among participants, having kept the state share worth 51%, as well as preparation and registration of the company's charter.
UZBEKISTAN: UZDAEWOO PLANT CELEBRATES TENTH ANNIVERSARY
UzDaewoo's plant in Uzbekistan celebrated its tenth anniversary on 19 July. The plant produces the Nexia, Matiz, Damas and Lacetti.
The facility was officially launched on 19 July 1996 in association with GM Daewoo. Most of the cars produced at the plant are exported to CIS countries. UzDaewoo exported 52.6% of 101,000 cars built in 2005.
The plant is expected to produce 120,000 cars this year and export 55% of them to Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldavia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan. The vehicle manufacturer has already manufactured more than 64,000 units in the January to July period this year.
UzDaewoo uses some of the most sophisticated manufacturing technology at its plant. The assembly shop consists of two main lines, the assembly line for Nexia cars and the assembly line for Tico and Damas cars. 120 robot welders automatically make strong and high-quality bodies for the cars. The press shop is provided with a centralised system for collecting and briquetting scrap. (Automotive World)
UZBEKISTAN RAILWAYS TO HOLD $150 MLN TENDER FOR RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION
Uzbekistan Railways state company has announced a U.S. $150 million international tender to choose contractors and suppliers for the construction of Tashguzar-Baysun-Kumkurgan railway line in the south of Uzbekistan, the company said Friday.
Uzbekistan Railways plans to choose contractors for building five railroad bridges and suppliers of equipment and construction materials for the railroad, it said.
Uzbekistan Railways plans to announce the results of the tender sometime in October-December, it said.
The 223-kilometer, $447.4 million railroad will link two southern regions of Uzbekistan, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya, bypassing the territory of Turkmenistan. The railroad is expected to be completed in late 2008.
As of now Uzbekistan has built 100 kilometers of rail tracks.
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has provided a $151.5 million loan the government of Uzbekistan for the construction of the railroad. The government of Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan Railways have allocated $291 million for the construction. (Prime-TASS News (Russia)
ENTERPRISES ESTABLISH COOPERATION WITH HOME-BASED LABOR
In keeping with the Decree by President Islam Karimov of January 5, 2006, “On measures to stimulate cooperation between large industrial enterprises and manufacture of services based o¬n extending the home-based labor” 24 enterprises and organizations in Mirzo Ulughbek District in Tashkent began joint operations with home-based laborers.
“By July 1 this year we have created 402 jobs based o¬n home-based labor, 196 from amongst them are taken by women,” – Mr. Yusufkhonov, head of the employment and social protection department at Mirzo Ulugbek District, has been quoted as saying in the report by Uzbekistan National News Agency Russian-language website.
“For this, in line with the charter and procedures, above all we have inked arrangements between employers and home-based laborers along with introducing the work-books for them,” – Mr. Yusufkhonov added.
According to him, the home-based laborers are regularly supplied with necessary equipment, accessories, and raw.
At small and medium businesses they are engaged in sewing, rendering photography services, and manufacture of consumer products.
Home-based labor serves as an important factor not o¬nly in ensuring growth of people’s economic opportunities, but also the broad use of tax cuts by companies in the sphere.
Such cooperation between the home-based laborers and companies has resulted in surge of labor efficiency as well as production growth. And, in its turn, this leads to lowering of the product net cost, the report concluded.
UZBEKISTAN HAVO YOLLARI OPENS CARGO FLIGHT TO BANGLADESH
Uzbekistan Havo Yollari (Uzbekistan Airways) opens news regular cargo flight from Tashkent to Dacca, Bangladesh, in the second half of July.
The cargo flight will be carried out once a week (on Sundays) on Il-76 aircrafts.
UZBEK AIR CARRIER TO FLY TO ASTANA SEVEN TIMES A WEEK
Uzbekistan Havo Yollari (Uzbekistan Airways) opens another flight from Tashkent to Almaty, Kazakstan, on 5 August.
The opening of new flight will increase number of flights of Uzbek company to seven a week. The flights will be carried out on Boeing-757 on Saturdays.
SOCIETY
JAPAN GRANTS US$225,705 TO THREE UZBEK HOSPITALS
The government of Japan allocated grants for US$225,705 to three medical establishments of Uzbekistan. The press release of Japan embassy in Uzbekistan said the corresponding grant agreements will be signed in Tashkent on 27 July.
The embassy said the grants, issued within no-string aid programme to grass-root projects, will be used to equip medical establishments to improve level of medical services.
First Hospital of Surkhandarya region will receive US$85,625 to implement project "Equipment with modern medical equipment of the First Hospital of Surkhandarya region", while Central Hospital of Uzun district of Surkhandarya region will get US$63,800 to realize the project "Equipment with modern medical equipment of the Central Hospital of Uzun district of Surkhandarya region".
The Japan government directed US$76,280 to equip Tashkent city Perinatal Centre No 1 within the project "Equipment with modern medical equipment of Tashkent city Perinatal Centre No 1".
The Japan government realizes no-string aid programme to grass-root projects to improve live conditions and well-being of Uzbek people through improvement of education, medical services, strengthening social status of women and live of communities.
"HUMAN AND NATURE INTERACTION IN THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT KARSHI" CONTEST
2,700th anniversary of the city of Karshi, a city holding an important position in the history of world civilization and culture, will be celebrated in Uzbekistan this year.
Ecosan International Organisation together with the National University of Uzbekistan, Oltin Meros (Golden Heritage) International Charity Fund, and Karshi city khokimiat (city hall) are preparing the celebration and a series of anniversary events. As a part of these efforts, they have announced a contest for the best research work entitled "Human and Nature Interaction in the History of Ancient Karshi".
The contest is intended to spur the search for and examination of historical facts relating to the inter-relations of human, society, and nature, development of new eco-tourism routes on the segment of the Great Silk Road passing through the valley of Kashkadarya, as well as to popularize the historical-architectural monuments and picturesque places of Kashkadarya oasis.
On 22 July 2006, a meeting dedicated to the results of an expedition will be held at the conference hall of Ecosan. Members of the expedition and the Scientific Advisory Council of the contest will participate. The winners of the contest will be identified in three nominations: "The Best Student's Research Paper", "The Best Scientific-Research Paper", and "The Best Journalist's Work".
UZBEK PHOTO-EXHIBITION OPENS IN PARLIAMENT BUILDING OF JAPAN
An exhibition entitled "125 years of Uzbek photography" opened in the parliament building of Japan on 19 July. The Forum of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan Foundation organized the event.
The exhibition not only tells about the development of the art of photography in Uzbekistan, it also describes the history of Uzbek land.
The Director of the Tashkent House of Photography Shahnoza Karimbabaeva said the exhibition covered a wide geographical area. "This year, with the assistance of the Forum of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan Foundation, photo-exhibition entitled "125 years of Uzbek photography" and the presentations of books dedicated to Uzbek photography are held in different countries of the world. Early this year, it was conducted in Europe. In particular, the exhibition was held in Brussels (Belgium), and later in Germany. It was a success, and we received the most favourable reviews. And now the exhibition is being held in the parliament building of Japan, in Tokyo," she said.