April 30, 2008

Economics:
Event Dwells On Minerals, Plans to Attract More Investment
Industrial Fair Pursues to Show Off Flight Safety Goals
Samarkand's gross regional product increases 11.6%
"Energy as a factor of economic stability in Central Asia" Forum held in Tashkent
Society:
Pres. Resolves on Founding Uzbek Arts Institute Nukus Branch
National tennis school to be set up in Uzbekistan
Schoolchildren Attend Int. Mendeleev Olympiad in Tashkent
Young inventors contest ends


ECONOMY

EVENT DWELLS ON MINERALS, PLANS TO ATTRACT MORE INVESTMENT

Uzbekistan has large reserves of almost all types of minerals. To broadly use them is a main factor of further economic growth but it requires an attraction of additional investments and cutting-edge technologies.

Such was the topic of international conference “Investment potential of hard minerals of Uzbekistan” held in Tashkent, according to the Jahon Information Agency website.

The State Committee on Geology and Mineral Resources of Uzbekistan and Institute of Mineral Resources State Enterprise organized the event.

The heads of over 60 largest companies of Uzbekistan engaged in extracting and processing minerals, representatives of related foreign companies from 16 countries of the world such as Russia, China, Republic of Korea, France, Japan, Austria, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, the U.S., and others participated at the conference.

Over 3.000 deposits of minerals, including the noble, non-ferrous, rare and black metals, and others were discovered on the territory of the country. Half of them are ready to be explored.

More than 400 of not-yet-explored but prospective deposits were offered to potential investors who have participated at the conference in elaboration of which they might take part. Those deposits can become a raw source to manufacture over 40 types of mineral raw which are in high demand both in domestic and world markets.

As a part of the conference agenda the roundtable was held. The delegates to the roundtable are reported to have comprehensively discussed the opportunities to develop such investment cooperation.

The first protocol aimed at exploring several recently discovered deposits of quartzites was signed at the conference between the State Committee of Geology of Uzbekistan and South Korean Shingdong Enerkom Inc. Company.

INDUSTRIAL FAIR PURSUES TO SHOW OFF FLIGHT SAFETY GOALS

Uzbekistan Airways Technics Aviation Company of the Uzbekistan Airways National Air Company organized the branch industrial fair in Tashkent, Jahon Information Agency quoting the local newspapers.

The visitors and those interested in the fair have had an opportunity to learn about the assortments of components for technical servicing and repairing of aircrafts accomplished by the company. The company also restores and repairs the systems, blocks and components at high technical level that provide for safety of air flights.

The fact that company is in the vicinity of the Tashkent International Airport allows its specialists to render technical services to aircrafts for over the short period of time.

Though, a sole company of its kind on repairing aircraft in Central Asia, it has enough capacity to expand production and manufacture other components for aircrafts.

According to organizers of the branch fair, the opening of new productions would allow to significantly save currency allotted to procure certain components from abroad.

SAMARKAND'S GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT INCREASES 11.6%

Gross regional product of Samarkand region increased by 11.6% in the first quarter of 2008, governor U.Barnoyev said at the meeting in the regional administration.

Summing up the results of development in the first three months of the year, he noted that industrial production grew by 24.6%, agricultural production by 5.2% and consumer goods production by 20.4%, UzA reported.

More than 225,000 square meters of housing were built and 23.8 km of gas mains and 43.1 km of water mains were commissioned in the reporting period.

Three new industrial enterprises were launched and one enterprise increased its production capacities.

The volume of paid services increased by 36.5% compared to the same period of last year.

Speaking of the shortcomings, the governor said 56.8% of industrial enterprises in the region were not working or had changed the type of activity, which had led to reduction of growth in the sector.

"ENERGY AS A FACTOR OF ECONOMIC STABILITY IN CENTRAL ASIA" FORUM HELD IN TASHKENT

An international roundtable meeting on "Energy as a factor of economic stability in Central Asia" was held at the Tashkent University of World Economy and Diplomacy. The event was organized by the Centre of Political Studies and the UWED.

Among the participants of the meeting were experts from Russia, as well as countries of central, North-Easter and South Asia, Europe and America, Uzreport Business Information portal reported.

During the opening it was noted that Uzbekistan paid great attention to the strengthening of energy security, development of its energy potential and all-round international cooperation in this sector. This aspect is growing in importance as a factor of regional security and economic stability in Central Asia.

The problems concerning the stability of the world energy market and energy safety are of global scale. The prospects of growing the production and reserves of hydrocarbon and uranium resources, their long-term supplies and pricing policy are being discussed at different international and interstate levels. The countries of Central Asia are no exception: they regional partners, such as Russia, China, and the countries of the EU who represent the world's largest producers of oil, natural gas, uranium, coal and electricity and at the same time are consumers.

During the roundtable meeting opinions were exchanged on the prospects of developing the energy cooperation both within Central Asia and between the countries of the region and foreign consumers, suppliers and transiters.

The countries of Central Asia and the region as a whole, while possessing a substantial resource-energy potential, is increasingly viewed as active participants of the world geopolitical and geo-strategic processes, particularly in the energy field.

During the meeting a wide range of issues, such as global role of the energy factor in the policy and economy, the importance of the energy potential of Central Asia in the world's development, current and prospective routes of transporting energy resources from the region, the positions and approaches of the interested countries were discussed.

The subjects of the investment attractiveness of the Central Asian region, the security of the natural environment, the development of the renewable sources of energy, international cooperation of the countries exporting oil and gas and the consumers of energy resources were touched upon.


SOCIETY

PRES. RESOLVES ON FOUNDING UZBEK ARTS INSTITUTE NUKUS BRANCH

On April 28, 2008 the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed the Resolution “On measures to establish the Nukus branch of the State Institute of Arts of Uzbekistan”, the Jahon Information Agency reported.

The goal to establish the Branch is to further develop the peculiar arts and culture of the Karakalpak people, bring up the talented youth in line with high example of national and world arts, support and manifest its creative gifts, improve training of highly professional actors for the modern theater and cinema, television and radio, specialists on arts studies, according to the report.

Yet in 2008-2009 academic year the Nukus branch of the Institute of Arts shall enlist 25 students on the majors “Arts of acting” and “Arts studies” to earn bachelor’s diplomas, including 10 students to be attending the Institute based on the grants. In the later years the quotas on enlisting the students shall be determined based on the real demands for specialists in the sphere. The classes shall be taught in the Karakalpak language.

According to the document, the Nukus branch of the Institute of Arts of Uzbekistan shall be located at the following address: 37, Khurliman qiz bakhshi Street, city of Nukus.

NATIONAL TENNIS SCHOOL TO BE SET UP IN UZBEKISTAN

President of Uzbekistan signed a resolution on April 29, 2008 on creation of the National Tennis School of Olympic Reserve.

The school will be opened under the Ministry of Culture and Sports to train high-class tennis players and form a reserve of the country team, capable to represent Uzbekistan on the international contests, UzA reported.

The complex of the Tennis School will be commissioned by the academic year 2008-2009.

The school will accept students upon the competitive examination among talented boys and girls, with previous experience at tennis clubs and sports schools.

The students will be taught using special training programs, based on the international tennis schooling experience.

The National Tennis School will be financed by student payments, sponsor funds and the state budget.

SCHOOLCHILDREN ATTEND INT. MENDELEEV OLYMPIAD IN TASHKENT

“The Uzbek children must be more educated, stronger, smarter and, certainly, happier than us”, - President Islam Karimov said of the current generation of the nation’s youth.

Since the early days of independence the objective to nurture comprehensively developed young generation with thorough knowledge, and train the highly qualified cadres able to think anew and live in line with the times has become a priority.

The creation of conditions for the youth so that it may manifest its talents and gifts, constantly raise its potential is an integral part of such undertakings in this direction. The “Uzbek model” of education and upbringing has been worldly appraised. The International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad does indeed confirm the aforesaid.

President supported the proposal by the Rector of Moscow State University, Academician Victor Sadovnichiy to hold the 42nd International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad in Uzbekistan.

On April 28 this year the opening ceremony of the Olympiad took place at the Tashkent Branch of the M. Lomonosov Moscow State University, the agencies reported.

The teams from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Russia, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Estonia as well as the organizational committee members, international jury, experts, and diplomats participated at the solemn ceremony.

Those who spook at the event have said that holding of the chemistry Olympiad in Uzbekistan among the schoolchildren testified to the profound trust shown to Uzbekistan and served as recognition of the ongoing reforms in the system of education, attention and care by the country’s leadership about the future of the youth.

The Uzbek schoolchildren have been participating in such Olympiad since 1997. For over the past period they won 7 medals.

The Olympiad is held in two directions – the knowledge of theory and holding of experiments. The venue that hosts the Olympiad – the Tashkent Branch of the M. Lomonosov Moscow State University - for the first time in history offers the conditions to hold chemical experiments by all participants at a time.

The organizers of the Olympiad are reported to have worked on the tests and other tasks for the participants to deal with for over the span of an entire year. The question tasks on organic, inorganic, analytical and physical chemistry are tough and they surpass those of the World Chemistry Olympiad on their complexity.

The winners of the Olympiad will gain an opportunity to enter the Moscow State University and other prestigious higher educational institutions, according to the report.

The Uzbek team has been formed on the outcomes of qualifying tours among the schoolchildren, pupils of academic lyceums and professional colleges at the district, municipal, regional, and nationwide levels.

As a part of the Olympiad agenda the schoolchildren will see around Tashkent and Samarkand, as well as attend other cultural program events.

The same day the international scientific-practical conference on the urgent problems of school education on chemistry took place in Tashkent, according to the report.

YOUNG INVENTORS CONTEST ENDS

The final stage of the national competition “Young inventor” among schoolchildren took place in Tashkent.

The contest was organized by the Education Ministry, Tashkent University of Information Technologies, Kamalak children’s organization of the Kamolot movement and State Patent Department of Uzbekistan, Uza reported.

The jury of the contest highly evaluated the terrestrial globe for the visually impaired people, created by Dilshoda Suyunova, the seventh grade student of the school No. 49 of Pastdargam district of Samarkand region as well as the energy saving freight cars to transport building materials by Doston Yuldashev, the eighth grade student of the school No. 14 from Samarkand.

Also, mobile signaling device by Farhod Tursunboev, 11th grade student of school No. 3 from Urgench, petrol extracting machine by Shokir Hayrullaev, ninth grade student from school 21 of Vabkent district of Bukhara region and weld and vacuum pump device for water supply by Jasur Akromov and Hasan Hudoyorov, sixth grade students from school No. 7 of Romitan district, were marked at the contest.