July 06, 2010

Politics:
President receives credentials from foreign ambassadors
President awards citizens who helped Kyrgyz refugees
Economics:
Securing Legal Guarantee for Agricultural Sector Development
Tashkent to host Uzbek-Turkmen business forum
Bukhara airport recognized as most perspectively developing in CIS
Cabinet’s social issues and telecom complex holds session
Society:
Boosting activities of nongovernmental television and radio stations
Professionalism of Journalists is Backbone of Success

POLICY

PRESIDENT RECEIVES CREDENTIALS FROM FOREIGN AMBASSADORS

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received credentials from newly appointed ambassadors of Indonesia, Egypt and France – Mohamad Asruhin, Muhammad al-Hashshab and Francois Gauthier.

The head of the state congratulated the diplomats with their appointment to the honorable and responsible posts and wished them to successfully implement their missions in Uzbekistan.

Indonesia was one of the first countries that the President visited after Uzbekistan proclaimed independence. Bilateral relations, based on mutual trust, respect and interest, are consistently developing in all areas.

Uzbekistan and Indonesia have common positions on a number of political issues and have established a mutually beneficial economic partnership. Foreign political departments of the two states hold regular consultations on important aspects of modern development.

“Uzbekistan is a country with a strong and stable economy,” Ambassador Mohamad Asruhin said. “Favorable investment climate and preferences for the development of business attract foreign investors to the country. In this respect, I would like to pay a special attention to development and implementation of large investment projects between our states.”

Mutual relations between Uzbekistan and Egypt are dynamically developing in trade-economic, cultural-humanitarian areas, as well as within international and regional structures like the OIC. Many joint projects are being implemented, contributing to expansion of bilateral investment cooperation.

Uzbekistan is considered to be a historical center of culture and statehood in Maverounnahr, and Egypt – in the Middle East. The great tinkers of our land have made a great contribution to the development of the world culture and civilization.

Our great ancestor Ahmad al-Farghoni had invented a construction to measure the water level at the world’s longest rives Nile. The Egyptians still use this construction.

During the state visit of President Islam Karimov to Egypt in 2007 near the Nile measurer a monument to Ahmad al-Farghoni was opened, which has a deep symbolic meaning.

Ambassador of Egypt Muhammad Abdulkadir al-Hashshab said his country highly valued the level and the state of the developing Uzbek-Egyptian relations and was interested in expanding bilateral cooperation in various sectors of economy.

“The relations between our people in many areas have deep historical roots. We will make everything possible to achieve the goals and implement the tasks outlined in the bilateral documents,” the ambassador of Egypt said.

Uzbekistan is also actively developing cooperation with the French Republic. On 1 July, the regular session of the Uzbek-French intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation was held.

The volume of mutual trade made up USD 189.6 million in 2009. Fifteen joint ventures created with participation of French capital operate in Uzbekistan.

The sides are planning to expand the volume of French investments in the Uzbek economy, namely in the spheres of industry, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, tourism, hotel business, transport, healthcare and others.

“Cooperation between Uzbekistan and France in trade-economic and investment spheres has a great potential,” Ambassador Francois Gauthier said. “I intend to pay a special attention to these issues during my mission.”

PRESIDENT AWARDS CITIZENS WHO HELPED KYRGYZ REFUGEES

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed a decree on 5 July on awarding representatives of the public, as well as state and social organizations of Andijan reigon, who helped in providing humanitarian assistance to the victims of the tragic events in south Kyrgyzstan.

Orders Fidokorona Khizmatlari Uchun, Mehnat Shuhrati, Do‘stlik, as well as medals Jasorat, Sodiq Khizmatlari Uchun and Shuhrat were awarded to more than 50 citizens of the country for self-sacrificing work to help the people from the neighboring country.

ECONOMY

SECURING LEGAL GUARANTEE FOR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

Execution of legislative acts in land fertility enhancement was discussed at the meeting of the Committee for Agriculture and Water Economy, initiated by the PDPU and UzLiDeP parliamentary factions.

Members of the factions carried out some supervisory and analytical activities in the Tashkent region to study the execution of the Land Code Regulations.

They emphasized many times that agricultural lands are the fertile reserve of the country. Their intensive use challenges the preservation of the land capacity and rational use of farming lands.

As monitoring revealed, the work is carried out on the basis of intensification technologies envisaging the rational use of irrigated and dry lands, regular and compulsory rise of arable lands’ fertility.

While discussing these issues the deputies dwelled upon the further land enrichment taking into account the interests of people involved into the farming sector. Speaking on the activities in this area people’s representatives noted some drawbacks as well.

“Members of the UzLiDeP faction noticed the insufficient assessment of land capacity in the Tashkent region over the last years. They observed the disparity of specified norms of the yield on various kinds of land. We find it necessary to revise this approach,” noted Orif Sharipov, member of the UzLiDeP faction.

Farming lands are of high category of value in Tashkent and Tashkent region, therefore planting requires a scientific approach.

“Having studied the efficiency of work in Bostanlyk, Akkurgan and O’rta-Chirchiq districts of the Tashkent region, our faction revealed a number of drawbacks. Therefore we find in important to strengthen the responsibility regarding to officials coordinating the activity on rational use of land resources. The respective decisions should be introduced into the land legislation,” said Juraqo’zi Quldoshev, member of PDPU faction.

According to the meeting participants, the outcome of the supervisory and analytical work should favor the improvement of legislation on rational use of land resources in future.

TASHKENT TO HOST UZBEK-TURKMEN BUSINESS FORUM

A two-day joint Uzbek-Turkmen business forum will start in Tashkent on 8 July. Governments of the two countries are conducting the event to further strengthen the traditionally friendly relations and cooperation meeting the interests of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Participants of the forum are expected to discuss priority issues of partnership in trade and economic spheres, exchange opinions on the implementation of earlier agreements and joint projects, as well as identify new opportunities and areas for further cooperation.

BUKHARA AIRPORT RECOGNIZED AS MOST PERSPECTIVELY DEVELOPING IN CIS

Bukhara international airport won in the "Perspectively developing airport" nomination of the "Best airport in the CIS" contest on results of 2009 among the airport servicing up to 100,000 passengers a year.

Construction of a new passenger terminal is in full swing today in the Bukhara airport. The new terminal will be commissioned in December 2010.

Flow capacity of the new terminal is 400 passengers per hour. It will render all kinds of services meeting international standards, namely VIP and CIP halls, mother and child room, medical station, currency exchange office, post, Duty Free shop.

Bukhara international airport services today not only the growing number of regular flights – in particular in the CIS lines – but also the constantly growing number of chartered flights with tourists from many countries of Europe, America and Asia, wishing to see the unique historical monuments of the ancient city.

CABINET’S SOCIAL ISSUES AND TELECOM COMPLEX HOLDS SESSION

The Cabinet of Ministers’ Complex for education, healthcare, social protection, information systems and telecommunications held a session to consider the results of the sector’s development in the first half of 2010.

In the reporting period, the complex produced goods and provided services worth UZS 1.2 trillion, which is 14.3% more than in the same period last year.

The enterprises of the sector provided paid services to the population for UZS 602.3 billion, 6.5% up from last year.

USD 152.1 million of foreign investments was acquired on investment projects, 76.3% more from the forecast.

The session participants considered issues of increasing the efficiency of use of children’s sports objects, publication of textbooks for 2010-2011 academic year, implementation of other tasks defined in the state program “Year of harmoniously developed generation”.

The complex considered introduction of information and communication technologies in the ministries and departments, local authorities, expansion of broadband telecommunication network and use of internet.

SOCIETY

BOOSTING ACTIVITIES OF NONGOVERNMENTAL TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS

Around 90 representatives of youth studios and press centers, and active members of Kelajak ovozi Youth Initiative Center attended seminars and training sessions held as part of the Youth Media Forum.

The media forum was organized by the Fund Forum and the NAEMM in Tashkent on 29 June. The seminar participants also took part in the Media Festival "Ozod yurt to'lqinlari" (Waves of a free country), an event organized annually by the NAEMM with the goal of boosting the activities of nongovernmental television and radio stations in the Republic.

The Media Forum included a seminar titled "The media as a means of mass interpretation" (journalistic position, misconceptions and ways of interpretation) and a training session involving teams and the use of the brainstorm method "Effective media team: professional relationships and independent thinking".

Once the intensive training session was complete, the participants went on to attend the Media Festival "Ozod yurt to'lqinlari", during which the Honorary Chairperson of the Youth Media Council Gulnara Karimova handed over equipment to young TV specialists of Kelajak ovozi YIC.

PROFESSIONALISM OF JOURNALISTS IS BACKBONE OF SUCCESS

Uzbekistan’s National Association of Electronic Mass Media of (NAEMM) in cooperation with the Ministry of Healthcare, Fund Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan, Union of Journalists, as well as representatives of UNESCO, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the OSCE Project Coordinator Office in Tashkent, organized a series of activities June 27-30 aimed at developing professional skills of journalists.

Media days that included Ozod Yurt Tulqinlari festival (Inspirations of a Free Country), workshops, master classes and trainings were devoted to the Day of the Press and Media, and conducted as part of the national program Year of the Comprehensively Advanced Generation and Private Broadcasting Development Program 2010.

On the waves of success
Ozod Yurt Tulqinlari festival has demonstrated the progress achieved in the national media space. Following the festival, creative teams of independent broadcasting companies that presented the best journalistic works on the various categories were awarded prizes and diplomas, which is an additional incentive for their future success and creative activity. The jury comprising representatives of various government, public and international organizations accredited in Uzbekistan, as well as country’s leading media outlets provided assessment of the works chosen through the online voting. The major criteria were the quality and level of materials, the relevance of the works presented, their compliance with national values, interests of the audience.

“Over the years the prize Ozod Yurt Tulkinlari is awarded, this is our third victory,” says one of the winners Azam Salahiddinov, director of television creative association Samarkand-STV. “The former wins reflected our creativity as a whole, and this time we presented a specific direction, our news program Habarlar. This daily program covers the main stages of the reforms taking place in our city, region and country. Today, we are great proud of our victory and we will do everything to adequately cover the positive changes, achievements occurring in our country, our city of Samarqand.

The guest of honor were representatives of various ministries and agencies, diplomatic corps, civil society and international organizations, the media, as well as participants of the master classes for journalists of regional Kelajak Press youth centers.

The main objectives and tasks of Ozod Yurt Tulkinlari media festival is to increase the skill and competence of local journalists, formation of healthy competition in the information environment and, ultimately, meeting the needs of the population for objective information. It is worth noting that the Ozod Yurt Tulkinlari media festival successful successful, having achieved the goals, creating an ever more conditions for the development of independent creative journalists.

“Being among winners of Ozod Yurt Tulkinlari media festival is a great honor for us,” says Muhammadsalom Masharipov, director of Radio Turtkul-HPT (Karakalpakstan). “We broadcast on Turtkul city and mainly cover the local news, given the demands of listeners. Also, in the preparation of reports we attract young people, among which were many talented promising guys.

During the festival, creative teams of private TV and radio studios were awarded grants and modern equipment. It is noteworthy that all these awards were completely backed by the NAEMM, without any sponsors and partners. Profits derived from the activities of UzNTT television network opens great opportunities for promoting the non-electronic media in the country.

International organizations also took an active part in the festival. For instance, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation announced a grant to assist in the organization of summer camps aimed at improving the creative skills of electronic media workers, and office of OSCE projects coordinator in Uzbekistan has introduced a famous French TV producer and cameraman Simon Ross, who will conduct a technical training seminar “Introduction to modern methods of shooting and editing in the informational television programs for young people.

Healthy lifestyle and journalism skills
“Effective media team: professional relationships and independent thinking” was the issue of the master classes for members of youth studios.
This event was of great importance for the professional growth of young journalists. It is often difficult to maintain an individual style while basing on the generally accepted writing norms. Work in a team, but does not change the style, perhaps, is a big challenge for young journalists, so the theme of the seminar was particularly topical and interesting to the participants. A clear example of this was the fact that instead of the scheduled two hours the master class lasted twice as much.

During the sessions, prominent journalists – members of the media council of youth studios – shared their experience and gave good advice the participants can successfully apply in practice. In turn, 90 representatives of youth studios from all regions of the country: journalists, cameramen and editors, participated actively in the discussion, expressed their views on the current state and prospects of youth journalism, presented their ideas concerning the development of their profession.

A seminar on the promotion of healthy lifestyles and reproductive health by youth nongovernmental television and radio stations raised a particular interest. It was organized by the NAEMM together with the UNPFA, Fund Forum and Kelajak Ovozi center.

A workshop on the professional skills of journalists in the prevention of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and promotion of healthy lifestyles had gathered editors of regional TV stations and journalists of youth TV studios.

Head of UNESCO in the country Jorge Espinal said:

“Uzbekistan takes great efforts to improve the medical culture of the population, control and prevent dangerous infectious diseases.”

“Such activities help learn new phenomena, enrich experience, establish new contacts. I’m studying at school, and I am pleased to have a chance to try myself in journalism. For example, having participated in one of these seminars, I was invited to the radio, where I got a job. I want to thank the organizers of the workshops and other events for their real support in the realization of our opportunities,” says Sherzod Ikramutdinov, a correspondent at Kelajak Ovozi youth studio.

“Every time we participate in training seminars we can improve our professional skills, learn new writing techniques, this is an excellent practice that encourages thinking,” says Elza Evatulina, a correspondent at Samarqand Youth Studio. “In general, the world of journalism attracts me with dynamic rhythm of constant motion, the world of events, I learn many new things, meet new people, it brings me great pleasure.”

Each new event for employees of non-state electronic mass media is a new level they achieve thus developing their professionalism and finding new solutions in the preparation of high-quality creative products.