July 06, 2009

Politics:
President receives Spanish Foreign Minister
Spanish FM visits Uzbekistan
Economics:
Green investment schemes to be implemented at Uztransgas
Uzbekistan joins Intergovernmental Agreement on the TAR Network
UzACI, Indra sign memorandum of understanding
Seminar discusses improvement of tourism specialists' skills
Society:
President Visits Namangan Province, Learns about Reforms
Conference discusses elections, parliamentarism in Uzbekistan
Seminar Addresses Role of Makhallas in Local Reforms

POLICY

PRESIDENT RECEIVES SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos on July 3 in Tashkent.

“Your visit is a demonstration of the fact Uzbekistan and Spain are interested in development of mutual cooperation,” said Islam Karimov, National News Agency UzA reported.

During the negotiations, a detailed exchange of opinions concerning Uzbek-Spanish relations took place.

Spain is one of reliable investment partners of Uzbekistan. Joint projects in infrastructures, medicine and other spheres are being implemented in cooperation of the companies and banks of the two states.

The countries have established the most-favoured-nation regime in the economic sphere. Nowadays, a number of the Uzbek-Spanish joint ventures function in our country.

SPANISH FM VISITS UZBEKISTAN

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos met the First Vice Premier of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov on July 3 in Tashkent.

The sides considered issues of development of economic cooperation, including implementation of mutually beneficial bilateral projects.

Miguel Angel Moratinos welcomed the expanding cooperation between the two nations and expressed hope the talks would help deepen the relations in various spheres.

The Spanish official also held negotiations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Higher and Specialized Secondary Education of Uzbekistan.

At the Uzbek-Spanish business forum, which took place on the same day, the economic and investment cooperation between the two states was considered.

Representatives of ministries, departments and companies related to foreign economic relations, oil and gas, energy, banking and finance, construction, railway, chemical industry, IT, education, tourism and other sectors participated in the event.

The cooperation documents were signed between Uzbekistan Railways and Talgo, Uzkimyosanoat and Maxam, and Uzbektourism and the Ministry of industry, tourism and trade of Spain.

ECONOMY

GREEN INVESTMENT SCHEMES TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT UZTRANSGAS

Measures on realization of the project "Decreasing leakage of natural gas at compression stations at Uztransgas" within Clean Development Mechanism of Kyoko Protocol were approved.

Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan signed a resolution, which approved the measures on on realization of the project "Decreasing leakage of natural gas at compression stations at Uztransgas", Uzreport Information Portal reported.

The document envisages realization of the project with use of green investment schemes in cooperation with UNDP.

The project will be included into Investment Programme of Uzbekistan for 2009 and following years.

UZBEKISTAN JOINS INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ON THE TAR NETWORK

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov resolved on July 3 to approve the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network (TAR).

The agreement aimed at linking railroad systems of 28 countries in Asia and Europe goes into effect this week, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) announced on 8 June, according to Uzreport Information Portal.

The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network (TAR) entered into force 11 June, 90 days after China became the eighth country to have ratified the treaty. The other parties to the agreement are Cambodia, India, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Russia, Tajikistan and Thailand.

The TAR network comprises 114,000 kilometres of rail routes of international importance, aiming to offer efficient rail transport services for the movement of goods and passengers both within the region and between Asia and Europe.

UZACI, INDRA SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

On Friday, July 3, The Uzbek Agency for Communication and Information (UzACI) and Spain's Indra held negotiations within the Uzbek-Spanish Business Forum. The forum was held within the visit of the Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos to Uzbekistan.

During the talks, the Uzbek side informed the Spanish partners on current affairs and perspectives of development of the ICT, introduction and development of the ICT in state bodies, favourable conditions for ICT development, scientific-research projects, etc.

The sides exchanged opinion on development of bilateral cooperation in information technologies, expansion of scale of the interaction.

The sides signed a memorandum of understanding, the UzACI said.

SEMINAR DISCUSSES IMPROVEMENT OF TOURISM SPECIALISTS' SKILLS

Uzbektourism national holding company hosted a three-day seminar "Tourism as sector of economy". The seminar was aimed at improving skills of employees of Tashkent tourism enterprises.

Over 60 representatives from 52 Tashkent-based tourism enterprises participated at the seminar, which was organized by National Scientific-Educational Consulting Center on training on tourism specialists.

The event was the result of efforts of Uzbektourism on improvement of guides and employees of tour operators and hotels.

Raisa Ibragimova, director of by National Scientific-Educational Consulting Center on training on tourism specialists, said participants received information on trends of global tourism market development, tourism statistics in Uzbekistan, perspectives of tourism development till 2015, etc.

She said participants also studied new tourism routs, results of archeological excavations in Tashkent city and Tashkent region, formation of new tour products.

SOCIETY

PRESIDENT VISITS NAMANGAN PROVINCE, LEARNS ABOUT REFORMS

On July 2 this year with an aim to learn about the course of social and economic reforms now underway in the country, as well as creative and betterment works now being accomplished at the local levels the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov visited the Namangan Province, according to the national newspapers.

Namangan Province takes an important place in the social, economic, cultural and spiritual life of Uzbekistan. The people of Namangan are worthily contributing to strengthening independence, as much as social and economic development of the country.

In the first half of this year the growth of the gross regional product of the province made up 10,7 percent. Also, the province secures the stable rates of increasing production of industrial goods and consumer products.

This year the grain is grown at 79 hectares of land and the cotton plant – at more than 86 thousand hectares of land. There are nearly 7,000 farms in the province. Apart from cotton and grain growing they do the horticulture, engage in cattle breeding, and cultivate the melons and gourds.

President Islam Karimov visited the Chinor Farm in Kasansay District, according to the newspapers. At the farm President spoke to farmers.

Speaking about the prospects of farming the Uzbek Leader has underscored that the farmers were turning into a buttress of not only economic and social, but also the political life in Uzbekistan.

President also spoke of the need to spread the experience of such farms as Chashmai Safed and assist other farmers in developing the processing industry.

Also, President Islam Karimov talked to the scientists at the Namangan Branch of the Scientific and Research Institute of grain and leguminous plants at the irrigated soils and farmers.

The said institute tackles such issues as raising the crop harvests at irrigates soils along with considering the soil and climatic conditions, combating the plant pests and agricultural diseases, as well as nurturing the new breeds.

According to the newspapers, the President has also learnt about the samples of more than twenty breeds of wheat now grown in the Ferghana Valley. He manifested a keen interest in nurturing the Chillaki breed, its peculiarities and advantages.

“Nurturing the perspective breeds,” President said, “is an issue of state importance. We must think about the future. In nurturing the new kinds it is necessary, while leaning on the scientific basis, to consider the proposals and recommendations of farmers, as well.”

As a part of his stay in Namangan Province the President visited one of the military units, where he had spoken to soldiers and officers. Islam Karimov has learnt about the local conditions, study process, as well as the combat and physical training of servicemen.

CONFERENCE DISCUSSES ELECTIONS, PARLIAMENTARISM IN UZBEKISTAN

An international conference "Election and issues of development of modern parliamentarism: experience of Uzbekistan" was held in Tashkent on 1-2 July 2009, UzA reported.

Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan organized the event in cooperation with the local and international organizations. Representatives of Central Asian states, Belgium, Germany, India, China, South Korea, Malaysia, USA, Ukraine, etc.

OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan Istvan Venczel said the upcoming elections in Uzbekistan are another phase of democratization of the country. The conference allow to consider issues of political culture development and participation of citizens in political and state processes, exchange of experience and opinion on perspectives of development of new democracies.

Richard Glaub, the resident director in Uzbekistan for the National Democratic Institute (NDI), said free and fair elections are basics of democracy. He said parliament play key role in practice of democracy and execution of laws. He added that it is great to see positive changes in Uzbekistan.

The report quoted foreign experts on their assessment of democratic reforms in Uzbekistan and development of parliamentarism.

Participants exchanged opinion on development of modern parliamentarism, election legislation and systems Uzbekistan and other states. They noted that Uzbekistan has significant experience in democratic construction, formation of modern parliamentarism, improvement of election legislation and system, holding free and fair elections, etc.

SEMINAR ADDRESSES ROLE OF MAKHALLAS IN LOCAL REFORMS

Uzbekistan accomplishes considerable work in developing the makhalla institution, strengthening the role of self-governance bodies in state and public construction. All these efforts are bearing fruitful results, Jahon Information Agency report has said.

Nowadays the local self-governance institution of makhalla is enhancing its role and significance in forming the state bodies of power at the local levels, as well as in fully implementing the principles of civil society. The makhalla institution is very important in reflecting considerable reforms now being accomplished in all spheres of people’s lives.

That was the very topic of this week’s seminar which has been organized by the Makhalla Republican Fund. The staff members of the Fund’s territorial establishments took part at the event, according to the report.

“There are over 213 branches and subdivisions of the organization, more than 10,000 self-governance bodies throughout the nation,” said the chairman of the Makhalla Fund A.Akhmedov. “Over various 10 committees such as reconciliation committee, committee on the issues of women and youth, hosting the wedding parties and other ceremonies, as well as on propagating the spirituality and developing entrepreneurship effectively work on the public basis.”

At a two-day seminar the attendees spoke on the topics dedicated to the legal basis of self-governance bodies, the Year of Development and Improvement of Countryside State Program and implementing it in the system of Fund, working with socially needy layers of population at makhallas, rules of drawing up and paying the pensions, as well as shaping the healthy way of life.