3 September, 2006

Politics:
Uzbekistan celebrates 15th Anniversary of Independence
Central Asian leaders hold informal summit in Astana
President of Uzbekistan to visit Kazakhstan in early September
Joint Uzbek-Japanese Statement for the Press

Economics:
VimpelCom expands its activities in Uzbekistan

Society
Germany's foreign public education focuses on teaching German in Uzbekistan
Tashkent branch of Mahalla Foundation gives away 320m soums in financial assistance

POLITICS

UZBEKISTAN CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

Grand celebrations of the 15th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence were held on 31 August at Alisher Navoi National Park in Tashkent.

Members of the government, members of parliament, senators, scientists, culture and art representatives, businesspeople, foreign diplomats, representatives of international organizations and others gathered here to participate in the celebrations.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov congratulated the people of the country with the holiday.

After that, songs praising Uzbekistan and the Uzbek people were performed, followed by demonstrations by gymnasts, athletes and acrobats.

Representatives of the Armed Forces marched through the square to the military band music.

Then classic songs, melodies and dance were performed. Representatives of various nations living in Uzbekistan demonstrated their art.

Celebrations of the 15th independence anniversary are being held in all regions and districts of Uzbekistan.

CENTRAL ASIAN LEADERS HOLD INFORMAL SUMMIT IN ASTANA

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov arrived in the Kazakh capital city of Astana on 1 September. President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev met the high-ranking guest at the airport.

An informal summit of heads of Central Asian states was held at the President Hotel. Presidents of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kurgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Tajikistan Emomali Rahmonov participated in the summit. The main topic of the negotiations was the issue of speeding up creation of the water and energy consortium of the states of Central Asia. The idea, envisaging coordination and development of cooperation of the regional countries in efficient water and energy use, belongs to Islam Karimov.

The issue was also considered at the summits of the Central Asian Cooperation Organization, and the concept of the consortium was developed within the framework of this structure. At present, issues of implementation of this idea are being actively considered within the Eurasian Economic Community.

At the informal summit in Astana, the presidents also considered development of regional cooperation, and strengthening security and stability in Central Asia.

PRESIDENT OF UZBEKISTAN TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN IN EARLY SEPTEMBER

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov will pay official visit to Kazakhstan on the invitation of President Nursultan Nazarbaev on 4 September 2006.

During the meetings the sides will consider the issues on development of Uzbek-Kazakh relations, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

After the negotiations several documents, directed to deepening of interaction between the countries in various spheres, are also expected to be sighed.

JOINT UZBEK-JAPANESE STATEMENT FOR THE PRESS

Upon the invitation of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov the Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi for the first time visited Uzbekistan. oŽn August 29, 2006 in Tashkent the leaders of the two countries held meetings and exchanged views oŽn the broad range of issues of bilateral relations and international problems of mutual interest.

Sides confirmed their intention to further channel efforts oŽn developing bilateral relations based oŽn the “Strategic statement between Japan and the Republic of Japan oŽn friendship, strategic partnership and cooperation”, signed during the highest-level meetings in 2002.

Sides arrived in the single opinion that the Dialog “Central Asia plus Japan” contributes to the stability and development of the Central Asian region and expressed their intention to enhance the cooperation oŽn implementing the “Action plan”, adopted at the Second Foreign Ministerial meeting within the framework of the Dialog held in Tokyo in June this year.

Sides confirmed that the commitment to the principles of democratic development of society, market economy, raising the level of social protection of population and observing the human rights are of quite important significance to ensure political stability and economic prosperity.

Uzbek side expresses gratitude for the Official Assistance to the Development rendered oŽn the part of Japan in various areas, which has profoundly contributed to the implementation of economic and social-humanitarian projects in Uzbekistan.

Sides expressed satisfaction with the cooperation of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Japan within the framework of activity of the Uzbek-Japanese and Japanese-Uzbek Committees oŽn economic cooperation and have arrived in understanding oŽn the need to extend the trade and economic interaction.

Sides expressed hope that number of economic missions, planned to be made from Japan to Uzbekistan in autumn this year, would give a new impetus to the development of economic relations between the two countries. Sides arrived in understanding about the need to further improve the trade and investment climate with a view of enhancing the trade and economic interaction.

Sides noted the opportunity to develop cooperation, including the oŽne with participation of private companies through the Clean Development Mechanism in line with the Kyoto Protocol.

Sides noted that development of uranium deposits in Uzbekistan and trade with uranium may become a perspective area of cooperation between the two countries and arrived in single opinion about to further promote the exchange of information and views between the representatives of government and private structures of the two countries in this sphere.

Uzbek side is grateful for the gratuitous aid oŽn sending the Uzbek students to Japan for their studies, and the gift from the Japanese Fund in the form of textbooks of the Japanese language and country-study materials.

Sides underscored that deepening of interaction of the two countries in the interests of maintaining peace, stability and security in regional and global scale is of principally important nature and have expressed their readiness to develop cooperation in this field both bilaterally and within the framework of international organizations and mechanisms of multilateral cooperation.

Sides support the efforts oŽn strengthening peace and stability at the Korean Peninsula and elaboration of necessary measures to grant the region the status of a nuclear free zone. Sides expressed hope that implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1695 of July 15, 2006, and resumption of the six-party negotiations would prom0te the maintenance of peace and stability at the Korean Peninsula and North-Eastern Asia, as well as peaceful addressing of the nuclear problem and humanitarian issues, related with North Korea.

Sides expressed intention to further cooperate with a view of soonest realization of the Security Council reform. In this respect, the Japanese side expressed gratitude for the immutable support oŽn the part of Uzbekistan of the Japan’s candidature for the permanent membership at the Security Council.

From the point of view of a nuclear non-proliferation the Japanese side expressed support for Uzbekistan’s efforts oŽn establishing the nuclear free zone in Central Asia, and has noted the importance of gaining concurrence from all interested countries, including the nuclear powers.

Sides coincided in their opinions about the need to design the mechanism of holding consultations at the official level of foreign ministries of the two countries with a view of comprehensive discussions of bilateral relations and international problems.

Visit of the Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi to Uzbekistan and the held meetings have passed in an atmosphere of friendship and trust, and positively contributed to further development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the Republic o Uzbekistan and Japan.

August 29, 2006, Tashkent

ECONOMICS

VIMPELCOM EXPANDS ITS ACTIVITIES IN UZBEKISTAN

Open Joint Stock Company Vimpel-Communications said its Uzbek subdivision’s subscribers from 421,400 in the first quarter of 2006 to 451,600 in the second quarter of 2006 or grew by 7.2% quarter-on-quarter.

VimpelCom fully owns Unitel in Uzbekistan, which is the second largest Uzbek mobile operator in terms of subscribers' base. Russian company acquired Unitel and Buztel in Uzbekistan in early February.

Russian company purchased these two firms for about US$270.1 million. The company merged them and now Unitel represents Vimpelcom in Uzbekistan.

The revenue of Uzbek arm rose from US$8.9 million in the first quarter to US$15 million in the second quarter of 2006 (or up 68.5% quarter-on-quarter). Net income of Unitel grew by 260% quarter-on-quarter to US$3.6 million (from US$1 million in the first quarter) in the second quarter.

In Uzbekistan, in the second quarter of 2006, VimpelCom continued organizational work in order to strengthen staff and prepare the ground for the launch of the Beeline brand in September 2006.

Alexander Izosimov, Chief Executive Officer of VimpelCom, said in the release of Vimpelcom that the company is in the process of building-out network in Uzbekistan, integrating operations into the VimpelCom group and preparing for the launch of Beeline brand later this month.

Uzbekistan has some 1.75 million mobile users as of 1 July 2006, according to official data. MTS-Uzbekistan is largest mobile operator in Uzbekistan, which accounts some 820,000 subscribers as of 1 July 2006.

SOCIETY

GERMANY'S FOREIGN PUBLIC EDUCATION FOCUSES ON TEACHING GERMAN IN UZBEKISTAN

On 2 September, in a solemn ceremony to be held at school No. 60 of Tashkent a special consultant-coordinator of the central administration of schools abroad and a representative of the Goethe Institute will hand over books and equipment as a gift to highest educational schools, a press release of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Republic of Uzbekistan, said.

The administration of culture and education of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany is tasked with assisting the learning of the German language abroad. The central administration of schools abroad (ZfA -- German abbreviation: Zentralstelle fur das Auslandsschulwesen - Central office for foreign public education) under the Federal administrative department of Germany ensures material and technical, financial and personnel support of local selected special schools with the intensified learning of the German language in foreign countries.

With a view to accomplish this task, under the instruction of the ZfA 46 coordinator- consultants, and about 1800 teachers, lending support to local German teachers work throughout the world. At the same time, as non-repayable aid, the ZfA provides diverse training-didactic materials, renders aid in the development of educational programmes and manuals, grants scholarships to German language teachers and other teacher - multipliers to advance in skills in Germany. The ZfA conduct courses to retrain local teachers on the base of the selected special schools and it also contributes to the exchange of schoolboys.

Meanwhile, German linguistic diploma of the second stage (DSD Stufe II) is an important tool of assistance. This diploma is awarded by the secretariat of a constant conference of ministers of culture of the federal land of Germany to schoolboys, who successfully took examination. This diploma is a document about undergoing the training in German language with the assistance of Germany and testifies about the proficiency in German language, necessary for entering higher educational establishments of Germany. Therefore, examination to the German linguistic diploma has very great significance.

Since 1994 coordinator- consultant of the ZfA, specialist- consultant and another eight programme teachers also work in Uzbekistan. It is remarkable, but it is not surprising the fact that three special schools with the right of DSD testing - school No. 60 in Tashkent (the examination centre), school No. 6 in Margilan and school No. 51 in Samarkand - enjoy the growing popularity by parents and children. Until now, on the whole 289 pupils received German linguistic diploma from the hands of the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is expected that 70 pupils will obtain the diploma in 2006/2007 academic year.

A difference between the activity of the ZfA and the activity of the Goethe Institute or DAAD is that the support proves to be only to special schools with the right of taking examination to the German linguistic diploma, i.e., to special schools with the intensified learning of the German language from the first or second form.

In this case support means assistance in the construction of German lessons taking into account the requirements of the German linguistic diploma of the second stage, the sending of teachers from Germany to these schools, materiel equipment, joint activity to train teachers and continuous intra-school and interregional advancement in their skills.

TASHKENT BRANCH OF MAHALLA FOUNDATION GIVES AWAY 320M SOUMS IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

A unique citizens' self-government body, mahalla (local community) exists in Uzbekistan. Its history has its roots in national traditions and social structure of the society that has existed on this ancient land for many years. A foundation intended to support and assist the formation of the citizens' self-government institute in Uzbekistan was formed here following the Independence.

It was named accordingly – Mahalla Foundation. The leading specialist of the Tashkent city branch of the Foundation told UzReport.com about the achievements observed by the Mahalla this year, the year of 15th anniversary of the Independence of Uzbekistan: "For the mahallas of Tashkent city, the 15th year of the independence of Uzbekistan is marked by the election of aksakals (chairmen) of the citizens' assemblies. Of the total of 474 mahallas of Tashkent, 164 chairmen were re-elected. Of them 65 were elected as the chairmen of the same citizens' assemblies. Observers noted that 50% of the elected chairmen are people with higher education degrees – this is the best indicator for the past 15 years. Moreover, observers noted an increase in participation of citizens in elections, which is a positive indicator of democratic reforms. In places, where none of the candidates gather the required number of votes, the electoral committees conducted second voting.

Today's citizens are absolutely different from those who voted for the chairmen 15 years ago. They are active, eager to speak, express their opinions and criticize. Our people are more active than they had been prior to the independence.

A traditional direction in the activity of the Mahalla Foundation is charity. It was paid particular attention during the Year of Charity and Medical Workers. For instance, during the first half of the year, 473 needy families of Mirzoulugbek district were provided assistance. In general, at the whole city-scale, over 320 million soums were given out as assistance to the needy. Moreover, among its other functions, the Mahalla Foundation is responsible for caring after the veterans of war and home front: in July –August they were given the opportunity to rest in sanatoriums. Some 95 million soums were spent for this purpose. These funds were also used to cover the vacations of children from needy families in summer camps of Bustanlik district and local school camps. Moreover, assistance requests were received from the citizens who lost their breadwinners. The foundation provided assistance to these families for the total of 6 million soums.

We kept the tradition of assisting in the organization of celebrations of Navruz and Independence Day in the mahallas of Tashkent.

The residents of the mahallas of Tashkent, especially young people and people going in for sports are familiar with another field of the Mahalla's activity. Our Foundation together with the Tashkent city khokimiat (city hall) and other organizations concerned have organised a number of competitions between the community football teams. We provide all the possible assistance to the Futbolimiz Kelajagi (The Future of Our Football) Contest. A few days ago we have conducted the city round of this competition. Young football players have also been to the regions of Jizzakh and Andijan. There were also other sponsors who helped in buying uniforms for the team members, and the gear required.

The efforts in all the directions mentioned above are continued during the holidays. Every citizen of Uzbekistan feels the care of the Mahalla Foundation and other public organizations, associations and foundations created over the years of independence – many actively participate in the campaigns we organize trying to support those who are less fortunate, show respect to the seniors, and help develop the talents of the young generation.