April 16, 2008

Economics:
Uzbekneftegaz Launches Branch Industrial Fair in Tashkent
Tashkent to host Central Asian international exhibition of textile equipment
Foreign investments in Uzbek economy to increase 40%
Aral consortium decides to mobilize third seismic crew for survey in transit area
Society:
Roundtable Times Discussion on Press to Press Freedom Day
Project informing about drugs and HIV risks launched
‘Asrlar Sadosi’ to Showcase Diverse Uzbek Culture in Full

ECONOMY

UZBEKNEFTEGAZ LAUNCHES BRANCH INDUSTRIAL FAIR IN TASHKENT

Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Company launched the branch industrial fair in Tashkent. All Uzbekneftegaz affiliate companies are participating at the fair, Jahon Information Agency quoting Uzbekistan National News Agency website.

They showcase the finished products, accessories and materials. All products have high value added costs and are the export-bound.

It is important that procurement of equipments, accessories, processed raw materials in the framework of the Co-operation exchange is available for all local consumers on the basis of direct contracts without holding additional tenders. Companies which are part of the Program of localization for 2008 have gained additional tax cuts and preferences.

The branch industrial fair in Uzbekneftegaz has pursued those very goals. The Company has worked out the program on localizing the production of goods both for the needs of oil and gas sector and other agencies and economic entities, as well as for the development of inter-branch production co-operation.

One can see the success of such co-operation in the example of activity of Uzneftegazmash Joint-Stock Company. The Company manufactures products not only for its own needs but also it produces various products and accessories for the machine building and places orders with the Andijan machinery plant, Uzmetkombinat Joint-Stock Production Company, UzExcide Joint Venture, Namanganmash Open Joint-Stock Company, Tashkent instrumental plant, Gidravlica OJSC, and others. Adding to that, other Uzbekneftegaz affiliate companies successfully cooperate with those engaged in various branches.

According to the Uzbekneftegaz, in 2008 the Company plans to implement five projects worth in total over 1.4 billion soums.

TASHKENT TO HOST CENTRAL ASIAN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF TEXTILE EQUIPMENT

The 4th Central Asian International Exhibition of Textile Equipment "CAITME 2008" will be held in Tashkent on April 16-18, organizers of the expo – ITE Uzbekistan and its partner ITE Exhibitions & Conferences Ltd. (Great Britain) – told a press conference today.

The exhibition is officially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, Economy Ministry, State Demonopolization Committee, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, UzbekYengilSanoat (Uzbek light industry) state-owned joint-stock company, Tashkent city administration, Uzreport Business Information Portal reported.

CAITME 2008 will gather traditionally the companies that are among the leaders of world textile mechanical engineering. It is expected that some 130 companies from 18 countries – Austria, Belarus, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, Luxemburg, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Finland, Czech Republic, Sweden – will participate in the work of the exhibition.

The group of participating Asian companies will be from China, Japan, Taiwan, India, South Korea. Notably, this year Chinese and Tai companies with their national stands are participating for the first time in CAITME 2008. The stand of China will exhibit nine companies, while the Tai stand will showcase three companies.

The exhibition is aimed to create optimum conditions for demonstration of products, effective exchange of experience in the sphere of technologies and professional business organization, establishment of new business contacts and signing export-import agreements, creation of joint business in the Central Asian market of textiles, fashionable clothes and accessories.

The largest area in the exhibition hall has been allotted to the textile mechanical engineering sector that will cover nearly 70% of the exposition. The rest of the exhibition area will have stands demonstrating software for textile industry, sewing machines, cutting devices, dyestuff, chemicals, auxiliaries, measuring devices, etc.

FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN UZBEK ECONOMY TO INCREASE 40%

Foreign investments in the economy of Uzbekistan are expected to comprise USD 5.4 billion this year (40% increase year-on-year), including USD 1.5 billion of foreign direct investments.

More than 80 investment projects should be implemented and over 30 objects worth a total of USD 1.4 billion launched by the year end using the foreign investments, Uzbekistan National Agency UzA reported.

Last year, investments in the Uzbek economy increased by 23% to USD 4.3 billion.

More than 70% of those investments were used for construction of industrial objects, including almost 50% for modernization of enterprises.

Over 300 large investment projects were completed last year, and more than 700 new enterprises were created with participation of foreign investors.

ARAL CONSORTIUM DECIDES TO MOBILIZE THIRD SEISMIC CREW FOR SURVEY IN TRANSIT AREA

In order to ensure the effective implementation of seismic survey programme in the Uzbekistan sector of Aral Sea the members of the international consortium made a decision on mobilization of an extra seismic crew to the contract area, according to the Uzreport Business Information Portal.

For this purpose a base camp will be installed in the operating area, including a stand-alone social and household module and a set of specific equipment, incorporating seismic data registration station, shot synchronization system, topographic and communication equipment as well as vehicles designed for shallow water and coastal marshy land: crawler tracked and wheel type cross country vehicles, snow and swamp-going vehicles, airboats and light boats.

New seismic crew will focus on investigations in the transit area. The scope of studies has significantly increased due to the change of depths in the eastern part of the offshore area of the Aral Sea as compared to design data.

In the areas, where water depth does not exceed 2 meters, a well drilling technology will be applied instead of offshore seismic in order to implement shooting operations to stimulate elastic vibrations.

About 700 km of seismic profiles have been processed since September 2007, which was the starting date of field studies. It is almost one third of the work program, which is expected to be completed in the end of the year. Due to improvement of weather conditions and resuming of offshore seismic crew operations in early April, seismic survey is picking up steam.

PSA on Aral project was signed on 30 August 2006 by the Government of Republic of Uzbekistan and the consortium of investors comprised of National Holding Company Uzbekneftegaz, LUKOIL Overseas, CNPC International (China), Korea National Oil Corporation (Korea) and Petronas Carigali Overseas (Malaysia).

The project operator is Aral Sea Operating Company (legal entity of the Republic of Uzbekistan), PetroAlliance, the Russian company, is acting as the main contractor for seismic survey.

SOCIETY

ROUNDTABLE TIMES DISCUSSION ON PRESS TO PRESS FREEDOM DAY

National Center of Uzbekistan for Human Rights held a roundtable on the World day of press freedom and the 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The event was organized jointly with the Committee on information and communication technologies of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis, Jahon Information Agency quoting the newspapers.

The director of the Center Akmal Saidov presided over the meeting. The lawmakers of the Lower House of national parliament and members of Senate, representatives of relevant ministries and agencies, mass media and non-state and non-profit organizations took part at the roundtable.

They discussed the main directions of democratizing the mass media in the country, protecting the rights to freedom of press, as well as the prospects of developing the local print media.

Uzbekistan is known to have laid a firm legal basis for the mass media operations. In line with the new edition of Law “On mass media” every person shall have a right to take part in the activity of press and express its own view. Mass media are provided with a range of rights to search, receive and disseminate information. At the same time, according to the legislation every publication is responsible for the objectivity and reliability of information they disseminate.

PROJECT INFORMING ABOUT DRUGS AND HIV RISKS LAUNCHED

Implementation of the project MEDISSA on informing the population about the risks of drug use and HIV infection started in Uzbekistan.

The project is being coordinated by the National information and analytics center for drug control under the Cabinet of Ministers, UzA reported.

It is being implemented in the framework of the UNDP program CADAP 4 aimed at preventing spread of drugs in Central Asia.

The project envisages staging plays about negative consequences of drug use at theatres in Tashkent, Namangan, Termez, Urgench and Ferghana, as well as the country’s universities.

At the end of April, a student bicycle marathon will start in the cities of Margilan and Nukus, which will finish in Tashkent.

In all schools in the country, special thematic lessons with participation of specialists will be held. Other planned activities include contests, sports competitions, concerts, etc.

Uzbekistan is currently implementing the Program of measures to fight drug abuse and illegal drug circulation for 2007-2010.

‘ASRLAR SADOSI’ TO SHOWCASE DIVERSE UZBEK CULTURE IN FULL

The “Asrlar sadosi” (‘Echo of centuries’) festival of traditional culture which will be held for the first time on May 3-4 this year in the Kitab District of Kashkadarya Province will become one of the largest cultural events in Uzbekistan, Jahon Information Agency reported.

More than 500 singers, musicians, dancers, folk narrators, maskharaboz (‘clowns’), designers, artists, as well as the masters of applied arts and Uzbek national cuisine will participate in it. This grand project of the “Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan” Forum will represent the diversity of the Uzbek national traditions and customs in their depth.

At the news conference held in Tashkent the festival organizers have said that the event was aimed at development the traditional culture, its preservation and revival. The “Asrlar sadosi” program includes the performances of folk ensembles, contests of bakhshi (‘folk singers’), festival of national dress, exhibition of traditional arts, presentation of culinary skills and others.

At the moment, the people of arts from all around Uzbekistan, including Karakalpakstan and Tashkent have informed about participation at the festival. Besides, the masters of culture from foreign countries have manifested their interest in festival. In particular, the potential visitors from Japan, France, China, Bulgaria and Russia are going to participate in it.

It is noteworthy that the laureates of contests “Kelajak ovozi” (‘Voice of future’), “Yangi avlod” (‘New generation’) and others will partake at the forum.

“Asrlar sadosi” will allow to get in touch with the unique traditions and diverse arts of Uzbekistan,” – the scholar of arts, member of the organizing committee of festival Akbar Khakimov has said. “At the moment, we are intensively preparing for the festival. The tents are now being placed at the pictorial venue of the Kitab District. One kind of arts or another is expected to displayed inside those tents”.