8 September, 2006

Politics
Central Asia declared nuclear-free zone
UNESCO Director-General visits Uzbekistan

Economics
Briefing on exhibition of mini-technology for agriculture held
Uzbekistan to assemble Isuzu buses, lorries
Uzbek trade-economic mission to visit Italy
German journalist briefs European economic press at Tashkent round table
Uzbek entrepreneurs invited to attend Board of Trade in Istanbul
Indian Spices Board offer for Tashkent Expo

Society
15 NGOs receive project grants
UN mission calls Uzbek students to participate in millennium contest


POLITICS

CENTRAL ASIA DECLARED NUCLEAR-FREE ZONE

The Central Asian region has been declared a nuclear-free zone.

Representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan signed a Treaty o¬n the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan, on 8 September.

The initiative to create the Central-Asian zone, free from the nuclear weapons, was for the first time supply shown by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, at 48th session of the General Assembly of the UN on 28 September, 1993. The first significant event on the path of creating a zone was the conducting of the international conference "Central Asia – a zone, free from the nuclear weapons" in Tashkent on 15 September, 1997, on the basis of whose results an appraisal group was set up to examine forms and elements of preparation and implementation of an agreement to create a denuclearized zone in Central Asia.

The issues dealing with agreeing separate points and positions took sufficiently long time. The practical meetings, dedicated to the elaboration of an agreement text, were held in the cities of Geneva, Tashkent, Sapporo, Ashgabad and Samarkand.

The experts from the UN Department for Disarmament and MAGATE actively participated in negotiations o¬n the legal framework of Uzbekistan’s initiative.

Consultative meetings had been held with the experts of the "nuclear five" (Great Britain, China, Russia, the USA and France to agree with the positions of the agreement text), on the results of which important amendments and proposals were made to the draft document.

The signing of the agreement on a denuclearized zone in Central Asia will be the real contribution of the region's states in the implementation of the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, in the global process of its non-dissemination and disarmament. The implementation of the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, will be the first real step in the formation of reliable regional security system.

UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL VISITS UZBEKISTAN

UNESCO Director-General Koďchiro Matsuura started his visit to Uzbekistan on 8 September. Director-General of UNESCO Koichiro Matsuura met the same day the Chairman of the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO affairs, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Rustam Kasymov, on Friday.

Uzbekistan joined UNESCO in 1993, and after three years representative office of this organization opened in Uzbekistan. UNESCO renders wide assistance to Uzbekistan in the field of education, restoration of historical monuments, preservation of cultural heritage and other spheres.

During the talks, the sides discussed state and perspectives of relations between Uzbekistan and UNESCO, including issues of expansion of ties and realization of new projects. On results of the negotiations, Rustam Kasymov and Koichiro Matsuura signed Memorandum on Cooperation between the government of Uzbekistan and UNESCO. The document envisages development of new projects and holding various events in the field of education, culture, communications and information.

ECONOMICS

BRIEFING ON EXHIBITION OF MINI-TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURE HELD

A briefing on the First International Specialised Sales Exhibition of Mini-Technology and Compact Equipment for Agriculture, Uzbekistan AGROMINITECH EXPO – 2006, was held on 5 September at the International Business Centre. The Ministry of Foreign Economic Affairs, Investments and Trade, Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Farms' Association of Uzbekistan organised the event.

The organizers reminded about the Resolution of the President of Uzbekistan No. 449 "On measures to organize international specialized sales exhibition of mini-technology and compact equipment for agriculture" dated 24 August 2006. This resolution was adopted, first of all, for the purpose of strengthening the export potential of Uzbekistan, raising the competitiveness of Uzbek fruit, vegetable and meat products in the world market, diversifying the range of products produced through intensive processing of agricultural crops, and stimulating the import of modern mini-technology and mobile equipment for agriculture.

"In view of this, as well as for the purpose of creating favourable conditions for farms, agricultural firms and small-sized companies specialized in processing of agricultural products with the latest mini-technology and equipment produced by the leading foreign companies, the resolution envisages the organization of an international specialized sales exhibition of mini-technology and compact equipment for agriculture on 21 October – 10 November 2006 in the halls of UzExpoCentre, in Tashkent.

To stimulate the participation of the leading foreign producers of mini-technology and compact equipment in the exhibition, the booths in the halls of UzExpoCentre will be provided to participants on non-repayable basis," said the Minister of Foreign Economic Affairs, Investment and Trade Elyor Ergashev.

Also, as an additional incentive, the samples of mini-technology and compact equipment brought to Uzbekistan (for the period of up to 2 years) for the purpose of promoting it for sale to the agricultural firms based on import and leasing contracts will be exempt from several customs duties. Thus, companies importing equipment will be freed of all customs duties, except for the fees for customs paperwork as well as value added tax, when selling this mini-technology and equipment to domestic producers.

"60% of all companies in Uzbekistan will become the clients of the upcoming exhibition. That is we are talking about 177,000 companies. The main objective of the exhibition is the signing of contracts between the exhibition participants and farms," said the Chairman of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Uzbekistan Alisher Shaihov.

UZBEKISTAN TO ASSEMBLE ISUZU BUSES, LORRIES

Uzbekistan will start to assemble buses and lorries of Isuzu mark on the capacities of SamKOC Auto JV with participation of new investor, a presidential resolution said.

The resolution said investor did not implement its obligations and the venture become unprofitable. The venture was found bankrupt and external management was introduced. The document said the venture signed agreement with ITOCU Corporation of Japan on supply 512 sets to produce modern buses of Isuzu Motors Ltd.

The venture will receive interest-free loans to finance purchase and expected from payment of customs duties to imported spare parts and sets.

KOC Holding of Turkey and UzAvtoProm, state-run company, launched SamKOC Auto with the cost of US$64 million in 1999. The venture should produce 4,000 buses and lorries annually, but failed to market its products. The venture produced only 60 buses and lorries annually.

SamKOC Auto is the second Uzbek automobile project. In 1996, Uzbekistan launched UzDaewoo Auto in Asaka, Andijan region. Last year, UzAvtoProm acquired 50% stake of Daewoo Motor and now the company fully controlled by UzAvtoProm.

UZBEK TRADE-ECONOMIC MISSION TO VISIT ITALY

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan in cooperation with Italian-Uzbek Commerce Chamber invites Uzbek businesses to participate in trade-economic mission in Italy.

The mission will include Uzbek entrepreneurs, engaged in textiles, furniture, producers of plastic products, marble and granite processing, telecommunication, producers of spare parts to electronics.

The mission will visit Rome, Florence, Milan and Monz? during 13-20 October. It is planned to hold cooperation exchanges, presentation of Uzbek companies and firms and visits local enterprises.

GERMAN JOURNALIST BRIEFS EUROPEAN ECONOMIC PRESS AT TASHKENT ROUND TABLE

As earlier reported, the editorial staff of the journal "Economic review" conducted a "round table" (on the theme:) "The media's role in raising public awareness and developing dialogue on development issues". The adviser of the Minister of Economy of Germany, adviser on social protection in the government of the Federal Republic of Germany, Heik Afheltd, took part in the discussion of issues.

The German guest in detail dwelled on the role of economic press in the development of the country's national economy.

Speaking about the functions and the basic goals of the publications, specialized in economic issues, Heik Afheltd noted that today the economic press is the universal model of the state plan of structural planning, which was before available in a number of socialist countries. Practically all publications work for the country's economy as a whole, creating a common picture of the state of matters in this sphere and its further development. Likewise, in the course of the discussion, they raised a question on the influence of serious, fundamental work of journalists-economists on adopting government decisions into the policy of the country's economy.

Heik Afheltd noted that since 1990 it is observed that Eastern European countries have been sharply increasing the print run of the economic press. The electronic media is further developing. Practically each German publication currently has its Internet-page. In particular, he noted that the leading economic newspaper of the publishing group Georg von Holzbrink - "Handelsblatt" disseminates practically all information on the Internet portal free of charge, with exception of archive materials. He also emphasized that printed and Internet- materials are strongly differed. So, electronic portal makes it possible to operationally cover current events, to notify about the current summaries of exchanges, to conduct live broadcast from the place where an event is occurring, while the printed publication mostly describes analytical materials.

Meanwhile, he also noted about the functions of commercial materials. Thus, about 65% profit of publications is gained from the publications of commercial materials, and only 35% - from the realization of publishing product. Thus, even a simple announcement in contemporary economic publications carries out more serious task – to develop market economy.

In the course of the discussion participants in the "round table" considered also other issues, in turn, having noted the similarity of some professional moments of economic journalism of the two countries. It has to be noted that Heik Afheltd held post of the chief editor of the newspaper Der Tagesspigel. He worked as the consultant on the economic publication of the weekly periodical of Die Zeit and as an adviser on the economic journalism of the publishing group Georg von Holzbrink.

As a part of the visit to Uzbekistan, Heik Afheltd will also meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the country.

UZBEK ENTREPRENEURS INVITED TO ATTEND BOARD OF TRADE IN ISTANBUL

Entrepreneurs of Uzbekistan have been invited to participate in the Board of Trade to be held on 21-25 November 2006 in Istanbul. Every year Turkey invites entrepreneurs from different countries under the special "Buying Mission" Programme to participate in the international exhibitions.

The aim of the program is to create favourable conditions for professional cooperation between entrepreneurs of the countries involved and assist direct familiarization with the international exhibitions taking place.

This year, on 22-23 November Istanbul will host the 10th International Business Forum (IBF) Congress, and on 23-26 November the 11th MUSAID International Exhibition. The event organised under the direction of the Foreign Trade Department of Turkey, Head Secretariat of the Orta Anadolu Exporters Union, as well as Istanbul Exporters Association, Istanbul Mineral and Metal Exporters Association, Uludag Exporters Union, Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters Association, and the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD) will be held at CNR-Expo Centre. In the framework of the events planned, the organizers will conduct a Board of Trade Programme with participation of the foreign businessmen and media.

This was announced by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Uzbekistan (CICU). Those who wish to attend the events announced may get applications at the CICU or the trade department of Turkish Embassy. The applications should be submitted to the commercial department of the Turkish Embassy before 15 September 2006. Accommodation and catering expenses of entrepreneurs from Uzbekistan who will participate in the Board of Trade to be held on 21-25 November will be covered by the Government of Turkey.

INDIAN SPICES BOARD OFFER FOR TASHKENT EXPO

Spices Board of India has invited the attention of spice exporters to the opportunity for product promotion in the CIS region.

The Indo-CIS Chamber of Commerce & Industry, New Delhi, with the support of the Embassy of India, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is organising the third Indian Trade Exhibition in Tashkent from 6 to 8 October.

Indian Spices Board sources said here that attractive packages have been worked out for the benefit of exporters.

The organisers are providing stalls at low rates. The stall rent includes cost of air tickets, accommodation and ground transfers in Uzbekistan.

The fair would focus on commodities, agricultural machinery besides a whole lot of industrial products from India. Participation is mainly for Indian companies and their overseas agents.

Spices Board sources pointed out that CIS was a prominent market for food ingredients on account of the strong presence of food suppliers in Tashkent who in turn cater to the demand of the countries in the region especially of the erstwhile Soviet Union. As far as spices are concerned, the country by itself is a major buyer. Though the volumes have come down post disintegration of USSR, the potential to generate more demand still persists in the region, says a Board publication.

Spices Board is planning to do a major promotion for spices and spice products. This is for the first time that the Board is doing a promotion in this region.

Many exporters are also likely to participate in this show so that they can gain introduction to a cross section of the trade.

The focus of the Spices Board's promotion will be spice extracts including spice oils and oleoresins besides black pepper and curry powder.

SOCIETY

15 NGOS RECEIVE PROJECT GRANTS

National Association of Non-governmental Nonprofit Organisations of Uzbekistan together with the Foundation for Support of Republican NGOs has summed up the results of the second contest for grants.

The total of 15 winners of the contest, whose grant projects were approved, received corresponding certificates in a special ceremony on 6 September. Among them are Tashkent Business Club, Farms' Association of Uzbekistan, Forum of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan Foundation, Syrdarya Regional Association of People with Disabilities, and others. The representatives of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis (parliament) of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP), and the Institute for the Study of Civil Society congratulated the winners.

Among other NGOs, one of the grants was awarded to the project proposed by Kibray district branch of the Opa-Singillar Association of Women with Disabilities. The Director of the Association Natalya Plotnikova said, "We are the first among other branches of our association to start working with young people with disabilities. We want to bring them up to be active citizens of our state, so that they are not left on the edge, but achieved the goals set independently, not relying on anybody's sympathy and compassion. We want to inspire them to participate in the solution of problems arising. In our school for young people, we want to teach them leadership skills, the basics of law and legislation, state structure and many other things relating to work in public organizations. One of our goals in this project is to start bringing up worthy people who will replace us in our positions."

In total, over 140 applications were received from the NGOs. However, the Chairman of the National Association of NGOs Nozima Habibullaeva said that although the projects proposed brought up topical issues of the society, the quality of the proposals was poor: "The activeness of NGOs was high both during the first and the second contests. But the only problem is that people have little experience in the paperwork required to submit project proposals. This is the weakest point. What they want and are ready to do in a particular field is much needed. But another issue is to properly present what you propose to implement. The bottom line is that we need to train people to write project proposals. The Association currently has over 250 members. We have already started preparing prospectuses, manuals on the preparation of grant applications. And we will give our best efforts to overcome this problem. Speaking of the two grant contests in general, I should say that we are very glad that our experts were basically loaded with applications. Out of over 140 applications received, we selected 15, which is around one tenth. This illustrates high qualification of the experts that the Association involved in appraising the projects. I think that the efficiency of the filing of grant applications will gradually increase."

UN MISSION CALLS UZBEK STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN MILLENNIUM CONTEST

The United Nations mission in Uzbekistan has declared a competition of compositions, dedicated to the millennium development goals (MDG) for higher educational establishments' students of the republic.

The contest will be carried out by the United Nations in Uzbekistan with the financing of the UN Resident Coordinator system, the UN Population Fund and the UN Information Centre.

Its aim is to increase the standard of knowledge and public awareness of contemporary young people about MDG, to improve students' understanding about topical issues of development in the world and the efforts of the world's countries concerning the deliverance of humanity from poverty, diseases and inequality. This contest gives the unique opportunity to learn more about MDG and to contribute to their further implementation in Uzbekistan at the local and national levels.

Compositions' topics, proposed to students, cover a wide range of questions, connected with MDG and the role of the UN, governments and institutions of civic community in their implementation. The deadline of accepting compositions is 30 October. Compositions contest winners will be rewarded with valuable prizes, such as computers, stereo-tape recorders and digital cameras. Furthermore, all participants in the competition will earn honorific mention on behalf of the organizational committee and they will be included in directory for the information about the future youth initiatives on this topic.