14 December, 2006

Politics:
Islam Karimov receives delegation led by assistant to Russian President
Uzbekistan restores Collective Security Treaty Organization membership
Economics:
Korea-Uzbekistan cooperate in software, pave way for overseas expansion
Over 160,000 holders possess Asaka Bank's plastic cards
First stage of Hangaronsoy reservoir commissioned
Society:
Program on Year of Social protection to be developed
Uzbekistan sends first group of Muslims to pilgrimage
Sofiya Kaspulatova won gold in women’s karate kumite
The monument to Al-Fergani in Cairo

POLITICS

ISLAM KARIMOV RECEIVES DELEGATION LED BY ASSISTANT TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received the delegation led by the assistant to Russian President Jahon Pollyeva.

Your visit is a confirmation of dynamically developing relations between Uzbekistan and Russia,” - said Islam Karimov.

Islam Karimov noted that humanitarian cooperation have the same importance in bilateral relations similar to other fields such as economic, political, military cooperation, because strengthens mutual trust between the countries.

Islam Karimov awarded the assistant to Russian President Jahon Pollyeva with the order of “Dustlik.” During the reception, the president also awarded the Rector of Moscow State University Victor Sadovnichiy with the order of “Fidokorona khizmatlari uchun” for contributions in developing the relations between Uzbekistan and Russian Federation.

UZBEKISTAN RESTORES COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP

Uzbek President Islam Karimov signed a law to ratify a protocol on restoring Uzbekistan's membership of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) into law.

The protocol on restoring Uzbekistan's CSTO membership was signed in Sochi on 16 August 2006.

The lower chamber of the Uzbek parliament passed the bill on ratifying the document on 21 November and the upper chamber, the Senate, approved it on 1 December.

ECONOMICS

KOREA-UZBEKISTAN COOPERATE IN SOFTWARE, PAVE WAY FOR OVERSEAS EXPANSION

The Korea Software Financial Cooperative (KSFC) exchanged a memorandum of understanding with the Information Communication Association of Uzbekistan to promote cooperation in software between the two countries.

They agreed to provide full support for member firms expansion into local markets bilaterally, while carrying out joint IT project centering on software.

"We will provide administrative support for Korean software firms facing problems in VISA and remittance in Uzbekistan," said Ilhom Zirobich, chairman of the association. "We also plan to provide a database on software users in the country, helping Korean software firms tap into business across a wide range of areas."

"The government is now developing a system including electronic document management and open-source, and we expect Korean firms to join such drive," he added. "We also expect cooperation in IT workforce to pick up steam."

"The Uzbekistan market has potential," said Baek Won-in, director of KSFC. "Uzbekistan will be able to refer to the Korean government's IT policies such as IT839."

Some 30 member firms from the two organizations met at the conference room of the Uzbek association on the day, and discussed business and partnership models.

ICA is a non profit organization established last year, and has 45 software member firms.

OVER 160,000 HOLDERS POSSESS ASAKA BANK'S PLASTIC CARDS

Asaka state joint-stock commercial bank is currently working actively in the sphere of clearing payments, by issuing its tools throughout the republic.

Thus, currently 160,000 holders possess the bank's plastic cards. As 1 December the bank established over 1,700 commercial terminals.

The bank's terminals are distributed as follows: 1,481 terminals are in trade and service enterprises, 119 terminals are for receiving municipal payments, 51 entrance halls of the underground are equipped with complex for receiving plastic cards, 61 terminals are established in cashboxes and Asaka mini banks.

At present, the bank's terminals attend all types of cards of other banks - members of interbank pay system.

Now the bank accrues annual cash resources income on plastic cards at a rate of 14% to the average monthly remainder.

Asaka Bank was set up on 7 November 1995. On the scale of its activity, Asaka Bank is one of the largest and promising banks of Uzbekistan.

FIRST STAGE OF HANGARONSOY RESERVOIR COMMISSIONED

The first construction stage of the Hangaronsoy reservoir, being constructed in Boysun District of Surkhandarya Region has been put into operation.

Tupalang Suv ombori va GES qurilishi LLC's builders carried out a large volume of work in Sariosiyo District. A dam with 25 metres-height was erected in the Hangaronsoy gorge.

"The 190-metres long structure with the hydraulic performance of 54.1 cubic metres of water per second, is elevated", UzA has learned from the director of the united board of the constructed enterprises ¹ 13, Erkin Saitmurodov. "The reservoir will accumulate in essence snowy and flood waters descending from the Boysun mountains. The complete operation of the facility will make it possible to annually accumulate almost eight million cubic metres of water and to develop 2000 hectares of area".

SOCIETY

PROGRAM ON YEAR OF SOCIAL PROTECTION TO BE DEVELOPED

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed a decree on 12 December 2006 envisaging developing the program of the the Year of Social protection.

The program will be aimed at providing concrete material help and moral support to socially vulnerable layers of population, forming legislative base providing guarantees.

UZBEKISTAN SENDS FIRST GROUP OF MUSLIMS TO PILGRIMAGE

The first group of Muslims of Uzbekistan left on 14 December for Medina (Saudi Arabia) to make pilgrimage – hajj (a ceremony of pilgrimage) by special flights of Uzbekiston Havo Yollari (Uzbekistan Airways).

Totally 5,000 Muslims of Uzbekistan will make a pilgrimage this year in Saudi Arabia. This figure is up by 1,000 than the last year.

To date the working group has completed all organizational work dealt with reception of pilgrims from the republic to Saudi Arabia. The registration of exit documents and the collection of financial assets are completed; entry visas are received, pilgrims have passed medical check up and vaccination. Ozbekiston Havo Yullari (Uzbekistan Airways) conducts charter flights [from Uzbekistan to Saudi Arabia] on 14-23 December; the return flights will be conducted [from Jiddah] from 4 to 12 January 2007, as scheduled.

The Board of Muslims of Uzbekistan will pay the trip of 20 pilgrims with a view to encourage individuals with high civic position among representatives of local self-government agencies, small and medium-size business, who actively participated in society's life and charitable actions.

SOFIYA KASPULATOVA WON GOLD IN WOMEN’S KARATE KUMITE

In the women’s karate kumite, or sparring, some final bouts finished at Qatar Indoor Sports Hall, Tuesday, 13 December with fights for seven gold medals.

In the women’s +60kg final bout, there was an intense fight between Sofiya Kaspulatova of Uzbekistan and Sheikha Maitha Modhammed Rashed of UAE. The Sheikha was outclassed to the athlete from Uzbekistan, and lost the fight 5–0.

THE MONUMENT TO AL-FERGANI IN CAIRO

A monument to the great Uzbek mathematician and astronomer of the Middle Ages, Akhmed Al-Fergani, will be opened in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where Al-Fergani spent his last years. As was stated by Abdel Azim Wazir, the Governor of Cairo, the act of dedicating a monument to Al-Fergani will perpetuate the great contribution of the scholar to the development of Egyptian civilization.

Alfraganus, as the scholar is called in the west, won acclaim not only because he was of the astronomers of the Abbasid caliphate who could measure the diameter of the Earth in the 9th century.

He also supervised the creation of the "Nilometer" - a device for measuring the level of water in the River Nile, which was completed in 861. The device had a key importance for the forecast of the floods of the Nile that affect the agricultural situation in Egypt up to this day.

In Cairo he wrote a fundamental work on the improvement of the most ancient astronomical tool - the astrolabe.