POLITICS

President Attends Memory Day Solemnities

Initiated by President Islam Karimov as the Day of Memory and Honor, May 9 is widely celebrated in Uzbekistan as a national holiday.

Memory is an expression of uppermost respect and reverence for our ancestors. Under the leadership of the President, historical justice has been recovered, while the noble deeds and the courage of our forefathers are being glorified and perpetuated.

Our selfless compatriots who displayed audacity and heroism on the battlefields of the Second World War, who fought for the peace and freedom of their land, for the harmony of their families and children – are always at the esteem of our people. The more than 6,600 war veterans living today in our country have been afforded comprehensive attention and care by the government.

The decree to reward the World War II veterans issued by President Islam Karimov on April 18, 2012, has been another vivid manifestation of such veneration. In line with that order, war veterans across the nation have been ceremonially awarded cash remuneration.

The Memory Square in Tashkent is crowded today than any other time in the year. It is packed with war and labor veterans, government officials, members of parliament, the military and the general public.
President Islam Karimov entered the square at 9 a.m. amid a tender music on air from early hours of this day.

The head of our state laid wrath to the Monument of Mourning Mother under the sounds of military orchestra. Islam Karimov paid tribute to the memory of thousands of fellow countrymen and women who perished in the Second World War.

“Today our nation celebrates a great historic date, namely the 67th anniversary of triumph over Nazism in World War II,” the President said.

“Solemn events are underway around Uzbekistan in dedication to the Day of Memory and Honor. We bow our heads, first and foremost, in homage to all our compatriots who fought that brutal war and never returned from battlefield.”

“I feel tremendously honored today to express my heartfelt greetings, wishes of long life and my earnest respect to war veterans who live beside us safe and sound, and who have been a source of spiritual inspiration for us.”

As Islam Karimov suggested, “It would be safe to claim that that tragedy did not leave any Uzbek household intact if one takes into account that 1.5 million of our fellow countrymen left for combat in that dreadful war, and that approximately 500,000 of them fell in the bloodbath.”

Years and ages will pass, but the pain, the suffering, grief and the sense of loss the horrific war inflicted on our nation will never be forgotten.

According to the President, we are convinced that the memory of our self-sacrificing fellow citizens who demonstrated daring, valor and heroism in the struggle with Nazism for the peace and harmony of the people and blue skies will live forever, and our nation will remember its splendid sons with gratitude.

Honoring and veneration to the memory of the fallen has always underlined the gracious quality of our people. This tradition has come to be our national value, has been imbibed into our flesh and blood. This is the very reason we mark the 9th of May as the Day of Memory and Honor.

Indeed, the pain of our people cannot be healed with the passage of years, a pain caused by that war which has left a tragic trace in world history, a disaster that took the lives of 27 million people of the former Soviet Union, and that brought about unparalleled suffering and loss to our people with myriads of women and kids left as widows and orphans.

President Karimov stressed that the most imperative and critical challenge we face today is to prevent so ominous and disastrous a war from recurrence.

The ongoing confrontation, armed conflicts, bloody tragedies, and the restless circumstances surrounding us today require a consistent vigilance from us. Instability in the neighboring Afghanistan has reigned as long as 30 years without any indication of amelioration yet. This poses a formidable threat not merely to Uzbekistan, but also to all the people in our entire region. Naturally, Islam Karimov pointed out, this should bother every person who is concerned about the future of their country, families, children.

Today, notwithstanding the 67 years since fascism fell, this kind of evil – unfortunately as it is – has been ascending in a variety of nations and regions across the globe, and menacing phenomena like nationalism and chauvinism has been spreading with vigor. And indisputably, disregard to this trend, indifference to these threats may lead to gruesome consequences.

One has to state it time and again that a timely detection of these sorts of risks and revealing the true intentions of their perpetrators is as urgent as never before.

Expounding on this topic, President Karimov underscored the necessity to draw the attention of general public to this critical challenge, namely, to preventing and eliminating such dangers.

As far as the unfolding successes of Uzbekistan with a growing international acclaim are concerned, the head of our state suggested one can name a range of factors underpinning them. Yet central to them – a foundation of all the achievements made by our people, an aspect that hardly needs detailed clarification for anyone – is the cardinal transformation in the mindset of our people, their attitude to life, work, their profession, manifest throughout independence years.

In a word, Islam Karimov put it, one may effortlessly observe that it is primarily the independent thinking of our people, their consistently enriching spiritual world, the mounting social activism that have come to a backbone of all our accomplishments and successes, a source of our might and prowess.

Worth mentioning in this regard is that what lies behind the colossal ingenious work underway around our nation is human factor, first and foremost. This year we are going to celebrate the twenty-first anniversary of our independence. The international community has been acknowledging our achievements made possible within a historically brief span of time thanks to the resourceful potential of our people, the human factor. Many countries have looked at us with admiration.

That was evident also during the recent major international forums in Tashkent addressing the vital sectors – healthcare and education.
The underlying reasons behind the announcement of this year as the one of robust family, according to President Islam Karimov, are such gracious objectives as the priority of human interests, the reinforcement of the sense of involvement inherent in every citizen for the destiny of their families, people and native land.

This has facilitated the consolidation of peace and stability in Uzbekistan, an atmosphere of mutual respect and harmony in our multiethnic society.

Placing emphasis on the need to cherish the current peaceful and unruffled life as well as the national independence as the apply of the eye, Uzbekistan’s leader underscored the importance of studying our road to independence by the younger generation, of being aware that the path to these bright days has been quite thorny. After all, the future is in the hands of our youths. We ought to support and rest confidence on our growing generation since it is a decisive force of tomorrow.
President Islam Karimov’s recently published book, “Uzbekistan on the Eve of Attaining Independence”, serves as an important source and a practical guide in enquiring into the history of our land’s independence.

In this light, as the head of state asserted, vital in our life is the younger generation’s awareness of the essence and significance underpinning the Day of Memory and Honor, that is, noble virtues like reverence toward the memory of the fallen, honoring our esteemed aksakals and mothers, protection of Motherland and the clear skies above it, cherishing the peace and harmony of the nation, fostering our children in the spirit of bravery and determination displayed by fathers and grandfathers.

All this undoubtedly adds to our strength and power and reinforces our confidence in the future.

The President of Uzbekistan expounded then on some pressing challenges, including the sacred duty of every one of us to multiply the might and capabilities of our national armed forces who have secured a peaceful life for the people.

We have always relied on our own competence, strength and power, and we are going to keep that line in the future.

We have set a grand healthy ambition for ourselves, a goal dreamt of by our forefathers: namely, to secure life conditions in Uzbekistan inferior to no one, to build a great country.

“On this gracious path we ask the Almighty to safeguard our people, our land from evil and misfortune, and we will definitely achieve our marvelous objectives,” Islam Karimov said.

The Monument of Mourning Mother has been studded with flowers today. Through to the deep evening, the Memory Square was crowded with people willing to pay homage to fellow citizens who sacrificed their lives in the name of peace and freedom of the native land and a bright future for the posterity. (Source: Press service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Close and Reliable Partnership

This year, Uzbekistan and Japan celebrate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Japan's Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba provides assessment of the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation.
“During the past 20 years the two countries have established a friendly and trusting relationship supported by mutual visits and active dialogue at various levels. In particular, the visit of President Islam Karimov to Japan in February last year became an important milestone and significant step for the further relations based on strategic partnership.

“Japan and Uzbekistan are constantly improving the legal framework for practical cooperation. The two nations reached an agreement on cooperation not only among governments but also between local authorities, industrial enterprises, educational, research and cultural institutions, and are actively working on multi-sided relationships.
“Also, Japan and Uzbekistan are cooperating in various projects on regional and international issues. For example, last November the United Nations decided to provide assistance to improve the situation in the Aral Sea through the UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS), established at the initiative of Japan. The project of Talimarjon Thermal Power Plant, which is funded in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, also deserves attention.

“In turn, Uzbekistan supports Japan’s permanent membership on the UN Security Council in connection with what I would like to once again express my gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan.

“Speaking of the multilateral relations between our countries, we should note the dialogue ‘Central Asia plus Japan’ conducted with the assistance of Uzbekistan. So, in August 2010 Tashkent hosted the third meeting of foreign ministers. The main purpose of dialogue is to enhance intra-regional cooperation efforts in Central Asia. For stability and prosperity in the region, Japan promotes a cooperative approach to solving common problems in the region. This autumn, the Foreign Ministry of Japan will hold in Tokyo the fourth meeting of foreign ministers within the framework of this dialogue. I think the meeting will be successful and become a significant event to mark the 20th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with countries of Central Asia.

“Given the level of cooperation and the results achieved so far, we are committed to deepening cooperation in the following areas: firstly the environment, energy conservation, renewable energy, secondly within the Millennium Development Goals and the adjustment of the level difference of life, thirdly the cooperation aimed at ensuring stability in Afghanistan, fourth disaster prevention, and fifth the investment.
“In recent years, our two countries have significantly boosted the inter-parliamentary exchanges. In February 2010, we launched a Parliamentary League of Friendship ‘Democratic Party of Japan-Uzbekistan’, where I am a secretary general. Uzbekistan, in turn, set up an inter-parliamentary group ‘Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan-Parliament of Japan’, working on bilateral partnership relations between the parliaments of both countries.

“Official visit of parliamentary delegation of Japan to Uzbekistan in December 2010 became an important event in the development of these ties. We will continue to exert all efforts to expand inter-parliamentary exchanges.

“Educational cooperation is another area of successful partnerships. There is a dynamic academic exchange between the countries. Japan consistently supports in the training of young specialists from Uzbekistan. In particular, as part of the project of training scholarships (JDS) young civil servants working on governance, public policy, economics and law, can pursue master’s degree in Japanese universities. Furthermore, I would like to highlight the activities of the Uzbek-Japanese Human Development Center that celebrated last year its 10th anniversary, which provides comprehensive support in the preparation of entrepreneurs by providing business training.

“The second Uzbek-Japanese academic forum held in October 2011 with the participation of students of both countries at the University of Tsukuba, and the joint meeting of rectors of higher educational institutions of Japan and Uzbekistan at the University of Nagoya on November 1, 2011 attended by more than 10 rectors of leading universities from each country serve an excellent evidence of strengthening the educational cooperation. These events have given a powerful impetus to academic cooperation.

“Japan, being the end point of the Great Silk Road in the east, have borrowed many items from the Buddhist culture of such countries as Persia, India, China, Central Asia, who have come through the Silk Road. Different kinds of cooperation in those days contributed to the interpenetration of cultures and played an important role in friendship ties between our nations.

“Currently, the Japanese have a strong desire to explore the cultural heritage and the history of civilizations and exchanges between East and West through the Silk Road. The people of Japan are also showing great interest in other tourist destinations in Uzbekistan, including the unique architectural monuments of the ancient cities of Samarqand, Bukhoro, Khiva, and the number of Japanese tourists traveling to Uzbekistan is growing every year. This, of course, was buoyed by the air services agreement signed in December 2003, which enabled direct flights between the two countries twice a week. So today Uzbekistan became a Japan’s ‘Gateway to the Silk Road. (Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)

Meeting with Special Representative of Japan’s MFA

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan held a meeting with the Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan for Central Asia Toyohisa Kouziki on 4 May 2012.

During the meeting significant issues of bilateral relations were considered and a mutual interest in developing cooperation and regular dialogue between the foreign political establishments were confirmed.
On the same day consultations were held between the ministries of foreign affairs, during which future directions of interactions in political, trade, investment and cultural spheres were discussed.

Special attention was paid to the implementation of agreements, reached during the official visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov to Japan in February 2011.

It was noted that long-term joint projects in fundamental sectors of the economy, such as modernization of Talimarjan thermal power station, electrification of Karshi-Termiz railway section, play an important role in Uzbek-Japanese partnership.

The parties also exchanged views on international and regional issues.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan Yoshihisa Kuroda took part in the consultations. (Source: Press-service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Rogun Power Station: menacing consequences

Geophysical Service of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan has reported on an earthquake with 3.5 magnitude on April 27 at 15:32 local time near the Rogun Hydroelectric Station. The epicenter was located 17 km from the town of Rogun.

According to seismologists, in the area of Rogun with its huge dam of 336 meters high, as well as in other areas of Tajikistan, the earthquakes are often phenomena. Thus, according to U.S. Geological Survey, last week there were seven earthquakes registered in Central Asia, three of which epicentered in Tajikistan.

In the past, the territory of Tajikistan has repeatedly been struck by powerful destructive earthquakes. Earthquakes of a magnitude of at least 9 points have taken place in Tajikistan in Karatag (1907), and in Pamirs (1911), forming Lake Sarez, and another one was in Hait in 1949. These earthquakes have claimed lives of more than 100 thousand people.
In an interview with ITAR-TASS news agency, published March 15, 2011, Academician Sabit Negmatullaev, honorary director of the Institute of Seismology of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, based on analysis of earthquakes in Tajikistan, noted that over the next 10 years we should expect strong earthquake in the Pamir-Hindu Kush mountain site.
The current seismic activity in Tajikistan is probably a confirmation of dire predictions of the Tajik expert.

Today, reputable scientists from many countries urged the Tajik authorities to heed the voice of reason, to draw lessons from what happened in the past year the disaster in Japan and to suspend the construction of Rogun, located in one of the most seismically active regions on the planet.

Experts believe a major earthquake in the area of the 336m dam will lead to a sharp increase in tension caused by the movements of the base and the tremendous pressure of the water column (300 meters). It is clear that the dam will not be able to withstand such pressure, and eventually can trigger a real tsunami. Wave height, which in this case, could rush down the Vakhsh River, will be not less than 100 meters above the ground and the destructive capabilities far surpass the recent tsunami in Japan.

Breakthrough of the Rogun Dam would lead to an unprecedented catastrophe for the whole of Central Asia, but especially for Tajikistan itself. Experts predict that in such a scenario, a huge mass of water rushes down at a speed of 130 meters per second or 468 kilometers per hour towards the Nurek Hydroelectric Power Station. Nurek Dam will be completely destroyed, and a water wave of 280 meters high and a speed of 86 meters per second will engulf the town of Nurek. In the same way the wave will destroy all the other water facilities of Vakhsh Cascade and flood the towns of Sarban, Kurgantyube and almost all Rumy. These cities will be the first to suffer the water billow, which will continue its destructive movement to engulf dozens of other towns and villages in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

It is hoped that these appeals from reputable scientists will be heard by Tajik leadership for whom this giant hydroelectric dam has long become an idee fixe. (Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)

ECONOMY

Tashkent host presentation on new legislative acts on investment climate

Tashkent’s International Business Center hosted a presentation “Legislative acts on improvement of investment climate in Uzbekistan and perspectives of investment cooperation”.

Business and diplomatic circles, representatives of enterprises with foreign investments, operating in Uzbekistan, international organizations participated at the event.

It was said that Uzbekistan formed favourable investment climate and legislation created system of guarantees, preferences and benefits for foreign investors and enterprises with foreign capital.

The meeting said that currently over 4,200 enterprises with foreign investments are operating in Uzbekistan in key areas of economy. Annually Uzbekistan attracts over US$3 billion of investments, about 26.6% are foreign direct investments.

As it was said in recent decree of the Uzbek President “On additional measures on attracting foreign direct investments” there is need to adopt additional measures on creating of favourable investment climate and attracting foreign investment to implementation of modernization and re-equipment projects due to global crisis and rigid completion in global and regional investment markets.

Changes introduced to legislation in line with above-mentioned decree will help for further strengthening system of guarantees and preferences for foreign investors and enterprises with foreign capital, as well as boost inflow of foreign investment and technologies.
The presentation was directed at familiarizing foreign businesses, international organizations and others with those guarantees, preferences and benefits created in Uzbekistan. Participants familiarized with investment opportunities at Navoi and Angren industrial zones, chemical, electrotechnical, automobile, textile and other industries. (Source: UzDaily.com)

Afrosiyob train to run twice a day

State joint stock railway company “Uzbekistan Temir Yollari” announced about increasing number of trips of high-speed train Afrosiyob on Tashkent-Samarkand-Tashkent route.

Uzjeldorpass OJSC (Uzbek Railway Passengers) said that from May high-speed train Afrosiyob will run between two cities twice a day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

On other days, high-speed train Afrosiyob will run between Tashkent and Samarkand once a day as it was earlier.

The company said high train leaves Tashkent at 8:00 and arrive in Samarkand at 10:30. The return train leaves from Samarkand at 17:00 and arrives in Tashkent at 19:38. High-speed train Afrosiyob started to carry out regular trips between two cities from 8 October 2011. From 13 February 2012, the train started to run between two cities each day.
Afrosiyob train, produced in Spain by Patentes Talgo S. A., runs at the speed of 250 kmh and passes the 344 km distance between Tashkent and Samarkand in two hours.

Total capacity of the train makes up 257 people. The electricity train consists of two locomotives, 8 passenger cars and one dining-car. The train has VIP, first class and economy class places. The trains can be used by people with limited abilities. (Source: UzDaily.com)

Development Strategy

Banks take stock of the first quarter

The aggregate capital of commercial banks in the first quarter of 2012 rose by 24.4% and exceeded 5.6 trillion soums (official exchange rate for 07.04.12 1USD =1859,07 UZS)

Central Bank of Uzbekistan has summed up the banking system for the first quarter of 2012. Experts say the monetary policy in the reporting period was aimed to meet the macroeconomic goals set for the current year, to further reform and improve the stability of the banking system and achieve high international rating indicators and address the measures identified by the anti-crisis program for 2009-2012.

Thus, in the first three months of the year the banks were working on enhancing the liquidity of the banking system and increasing its stability. The aggregate capital of commercial banks over the same period last year increased by 24.4% and exceeded 5.6 trillion soums. Also, close attention was paid to further increasing the capitalization of commercial banks, provided a substantial increase in the level of capital adequacy ratio of the banking system in accordance with international standards. Total assets of banks as compared to the same period last year grew 29% to $29.5 trillion soums. As a result of taken measures, leading international credit rating agencies, including Fitch Ratings, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, assigned stable ratings to 23 commercial banks of the republic.

In this period, commercial banks held large-scale projects aimed at improving the competitiveness of the economy, accelerated development of new businesses and manufacturing industries based on innovative technologies. The total amount of loans directed to the manufacturing sector of the economy grew by 32% and as of today reached 17.1 trillion soums. The volume of loans earmarked for investment purposes, compared to the same period last year, increased 1.5 times and as of April 1 this year amounted to 1.4 trillion soums.

As part of the national program of the Year of Family, the volume of loans issued to small businesses increased 1.4 times and amounted to 1.1 trillion soums. The volume of micro-loans also increased 1.5 times and exceeded 238 billion soums.

The main vectors of the banking system development in the future, which, according to local financiers and bankers, are able to bring it to a new level are further increasing the level of capitalization, strengthening confidence of the public and foreign investors, increase in the share of long-term investment in the economy, as well as the introduction of modern systems of performance evaluation based on indicators, standards and criteria used by leading rating agencies.
In addition, special attention this year will be given to creating the most favorable business environment for the further development of small business and entrepreneurship, growth in loans earmarked for small businesses and entrepreneurship, primarily for investment purposes, formation of start-up capital, expansion of microfinance services. (Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)