17 October, 2006
Politics
Uzbek leader signs three documents on EurAsEC
Former South Korea's National Assembly speaker receives Uzbek Friendship order
Economics
New arbitration law to come into force in 2007
Cotton harvest in Uzbekistan exceeds 3.6 million tonnes
Tashkent Hosts second International Uzbek Cotton Fair
UZBEK LEADER SIGNS THREE DOCUMENTS ON EURASEC
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed several documents, connected with accession of Uzbekistan to the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC).
The EurAsEC includes Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The EurAsEC creation treaty was signed in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 10 October 2000. Uzbekistan officially joined to the organisation on 25 January in Saint Petersburg.
The organization aims at promoting the creation of the common customs and economic space in the CIS. The coordination of WTO accession efforts of the member countries is another priority of EurAsEC.
The Uzbek President signed Law "Agreement on customs union and single economic area", Law "Agreement on cooperation in protection of external borders of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Community" and Law "On convention on privileges and immunities of Eurasian Economic Community".
Legislative chamber (lower house) of Oliy Majlis (parliament) approved all three documents on 15 August and the Senate (upper house) approved them on 26 August.
FORMER SOUTH KOREA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RECEIVES UZBEK FRIENDSHIP ORDER
A former speaker of South Korea's National Assembly, Lee Man-Sup, who is currently visiting Uzbekistan, has met the Speaker of Legislative Chamber (lower house) of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, Erkin Halilov.
During the conversation it was noted that the relations between the two countries were successfully developing. The joint declaration on strategic partnership between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea, signed by the heads of two states in March this year in Seoul, raised bilateral cooperation to the qualitatively new level.
Lee Man-Sup is the graduate of the Deren higher school and also of department of political science and diplomacy of Yense University. He has a title of an honourable doctor of this university. He worked as a correspondent of daily newspaper Dong-A Ilbo in Tokyo and Washington.
Since 1963 he was elected eight times to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, and he led it in 1993-1995 and 2000-2002.
Lee Man-Sup made a big contribution to the consolidation of Uzbek- South Korean relations. In particular, he played an important role to develop financial and technical cooperation between our countries. With his active participation in May 1996 and September 1999 in Seoul there were presentations of books by President Islam Karimov "Uzbekistan: along the path of deepening economic reforms" and "Uzbekistan on the threshold of the 21st century: security threats, conditions of stability and progress guarantee". And early this year together with "Korea - Uzbekistan" Friendship Association, Lee Man-Sup actively participated in the publication in the Korean language of the book by the president of Uzbekistan titled "Uzbek people will never depend on anyone".
Uzbek press recently published a decree by the president of Uzbekistan on rewarding Lee Man-Sup with Uzbek order Do'stlik (Friendship). At the end of the meeting, Erkin Halilov presented his Korean counterpart with this high reward.
"This is a very dear order for me, of all, which I received in my life," Lee Man-Sup told a Jahon news agency correspondent. "Having received the reward I felt very great responsibility for further developing the friendly relations between the peoples of Uzbekistan and South Korea. I will apply all my forces for the expansion and consolidation of our friendly ties."
ECONOMICS
NEW ARBITRATION LAW TO COME INTO FORCE IN 2007
Uzbek President Islam Karimov signed a Law "On arbitration" on 16 October and the document said it will come into force on 1 January 2006.
Legislative chamber (lower house) of Oliy Majlis (parliament) approved the law on 8 February and the Senate (upper house) approved it on 25 August.
The law regulates relations in formation and activity of arbitrations in Uzbekistan. The document said the arbitration can be formed in Uzbekistan in temporary and permanent mode.
The advantages of the arbitration are simplicity of procedures, efficiency of dispute resolution, confidentiality of information on dispute and selection of judges.
COTTON HARVEST IN UZBEKISTAN EXCEEDS 3.6 MILLION TONNES
Cotton-growers have exceeded the target set by the government, and collected over 3.6 million tonnes of cotton.
The farmers have fulfilled their contractual obligations in a very short period of time – they have harvested high quality cotton before the beginning of the raining season.
Farmers accounted for 85% of cotton harvested this year. Over 85,000 farms successfully fulfilled their contractual obligations to the state cotton procurement agencies. A substantial contribution was made by the farmers of Bukhara, Jizzakh, Syrdarya, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya regions and the Republic of Karakalpakstan.
There is still, however, a lot of cotton in the fields. The farmers continue to pick the remaining portion of the harvest.
The President of Uzbekistan Islam Krimov congratulated the farmers on the fulfillment of the state order on procurement of raw cotton:
"I sincerely congratulate you, hardworking farmers, experienced irrigators, leading cotton-pickers and mechanics, specialists and managers in the sphere of agriculture, all the hardworking people of Uzbekistan, who have demonstrated selflessness in achieving the target set, grown a rich harvest, and harvested over 3.6 million tonnes of high quality raw cotton, thereby achieving a great success."
"Today's achievement once again demonstrates that our farmers are capable of meeting the highest targets," he added.
Today's success is the result of large-scale reforms, consistently implemented during the past several years in Uzbekistan for the purpose of developing agriculture, stimulating farmers, forming and strengthening the sense of a true possessor of land and property, and raising their interest in the results of their work; most importantly it is a confirmation to the fact that farmers' movement is earning an increasingly high, determining and priority importance.
In line with the cotton-growing development strategy, some 200 textile enterprises have been built or modernized during the past few years in Uzbekistan. As a result of these reforms, 27% of the cotton grown is processed and used to make finished garments domestically. Meanwhile, the light industry is currently working on a specific programme envisaging to increase the figure to 55% in the short future.
TASHKENT HOSTS SECOND INTERNATIONAL UZBEK COTTON FAIR
Representatives of more than 250 companies from 36 countries of the world participate in the second International Uzbek Cotton Fair in Tashkent.
The fair was organized by the Uzbek Ministry for Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade (MFERIT) at the support of International Cotton Advisory Committee, Cotton Outlook Ltd, (UK-based magazine), Uzpakhtasanoat (Uzbek Cotton Industry) Association and Uzbek certification center of cotton fiber "Sifat".
The organizers said over 500,000 tonnes of cotton fibre from the yield of 2006 will be traded within the framework of the fair. It also said participants can acquaint with over 1,000 types of Uzbek cotton and transportation routes.
Opening the ceremony, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev pointed out that holding International Uzbek Cotton Fair in Tashkent, which became a traditional, is a result of large-scale economic reforms in the country, including in cotton-growing branch.
Uzbekistan is the fifth largest cotton producer in the world and the second largest exporter. This year Uzbek cotton growers harvested 3 million 600 thousand tonnes of cotton. The fiber 2006 will becomes the main article of trade and subsequent signing of contracts at the fair, which will serve as effective tool for further promotion of Uzbek cotton in the world market and creation of steady economic relations in the future.
Today the Uzbek cotton fiber is exported to China, Russia, Iran, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Korea, Vietnam and many other countries. Thus the demand for Uzbek cotton is constantly growing in the textile industry of Southeast Asia. It is also confirmed by large number of traders from the countries of the region participating in present fair.
At the same time intensive development of economy of Uzbekistan dictates necessity of extension of the share of internal processing of fiber. By 2008 the volume of cotton processing will be increased by 50 percent, which will promote for development of local textile industry and growth of general export parameters.
Uzbekistan is now among the most active participants of world economic relations in sphere of production and export of cotton, - said in the opening ceremony Executive Director of International Cotton Advisory Committee Terry P. Townsend. Appeal of the Uzbek cotton is growing, the demand for it is rising in both western and eastern markets.
Speaking at the fair, Elyor Ganiev, Minister for Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade, said the country is planning to produce over 1 million tonnes of cotton-fibre from 2006 yield.
He added that about 227,000 tonnes of cotton fibre will be consumed domestically and some 750,000-800,000 tonnes of cotton fibre will be exported. Uzbekistan will soon process 500,000 tonnes of cotton yarn and correspondingly, the volume of exports will decrease, Uzbek minister said.
Uzbek minister said Uzbekistan's cotton industry policy are based on stable production volumes of Uzbek cotton, improvement of qualitative and technical characteristics, creation of predictable and competitive environment for international trading for Uzbek cotton and providing with sustainable and uniform delivery of Uzbek cotton during market year.
Elyor Ganiev said Uzbekistan has 129 ginning factories and the country reconstructed 60 of them. He said that in near future, the country will domestically use 50% of cotton production.
Uzbekistan is the fifth largest cotton producer in the world and the second largest exporter. China, Bangladesh, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Viet Nam are among importers of Uzbek cotton.