August 06, 2008

Politics:
Chinese, Uzbek Foreign Ministries hold consultation in Beijing
Economics:
Uzbek Insurers Partake in Seminar in Japan
Railway transport installs fiber optic cable for communication service
Report: Tashkent Meeting Discusses Customs Code Draft
Society:
Admission tests held at Uzbek universities
JICA Grants Landslides Monitoring Equipment to Uzbekistan
Young Grain Growers, Newly Weds Receive Aid

POLICY

CHINESE, UZBEK FOREIGN MINISTRIES HOLD CONSULTATION IN BEIJING

On 4 August 2008, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Hui held consultation with Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister Anvar Solihbaev on bilateral relations and other issues in Beijing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China said on its statement, Uzreport Business Information Portal reported.

Li made positive comments on the status quo of bilateral relations, and on behalf of the Chinese side thanked for the material aid offered by Uzbekistan after a devastating earthquake hit China's Sichuan province in May. Li appreciated Uzbekistan for firmly supporting China's positions on issues concerning Taiwan, Tibet and combating "East Turkistan" forces.

He expressed China's willingness to make joint efforts with the Uzbek side to comprehensively implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and enhance cooperation within bilateral and multilateral frameworks including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, so as to make due contributions to promoting stability and development of China, Uzbekistan and the region as a whole.

Solihbaev said the relations with China are a priority of Uzbekistan's foreign policy and his country will continue to offer strong support to China on major sensitive issues of China's concern.

Uzbekistan is ready to further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation with China on politics, economy and trade, energy, security and humanities, keep closer coordination in international and regional affairs and promote common development and prosperity.

Solihbaev also spoke highly of China's enormous efforts in preparing for the Beijing Olympic Games, expressing belief that the games will be a great success.

ECONOMY

UZBEK INSURERS PARTAKE IN SEMINAR IN JAPAN

Representatives of State Inspection on Insurance Oversight at the Ministry of Finance and local insurance agents took part at the seminar organized by the Japanese Life Insurance Development Fund in Japan, according to Jahon Information Agency.

The Fund was established by the Japanese Dai-lchi Life Insurance Company in 1970. Its major goal is to advance the life insurance by way of holding seminars and publishing materials on various aspects of this branch of insurance. For over the years the Fund organized 145 seminars in 13 countries of the world with participation of 29.ooo specialists.

The participation of the Uzbek insurers was initiated in the framework of the established partnership relations with the Fund and State Inspection of Insurance Oversight of Uzbekistan.

The seminar allowed to study international, in particular, the Japanese experience in developing and methodologically supporting the life insurance branch and using it in elaboration the normative and legal acts regulating the relations in this area.

The experience obtained during the seminar can further be used in reviewing the life insurance contracts, elaborating and introducing new insurance products for national insurance market.

Taking into account the need to develop the methodology of life insurance as a main segment of insurance operation with large undisclosed potential the State Inspection of Insurance Oversight achieved an agreement with the Fund leadership on regular participation of representatives of Ministry of Finance and national insurers at the Fund’s seminars.

RAILWAY TRANSPORT INSTALLS FIBER OPTIC CABLE FOR COMMUNICATION SERVICE

Surkhandarya region’s Railroad network continues the work on application of fibĺr optic cable at its communication service. Now, residents of the region can purchase tickets to all trains, including domestic and international routes, at their local railway station, UzA reported.

The first meters of the cable were laid on a 16-kilometer section of Galaba-Termez railway by the construction train. Presently, initial excavation work is underway to lay optic cables on the railway Tashguzar-Baysun-Kumkurgan, which was put into operation last year.

“The updated service poses a number of conveniences for railroad staff and population,” said Agzamdjan Kurbanov, deputy chief of Termez communication distance of regional railroad hub Karshi-Termez. “Now, sales of tickets, shipments, payments and monitoring of train traffic are carried out centrally by the computer system.”

There are currently four stations in Surkhandarya region, where traffic management is carried out electronically. Besides, all freight stations will be computerized in the near future.

REPORT: TASHKENT MEETING DISCUSSES CUSTOMS CODE DRAFT

Tashkent hosted the meeting of Expert Council on customs reforms. The participants discussed the association of particular norms of draft of Customs code in new edition with other legislative acts, Jahon Information Agency quoting the Pravda Vostoka newspaper.

The meeting of the Council was organized in the scope of project of UNDP and State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan “Improving the system of customs administration in the Republic of Uzbekistan”.

The delegates to the meeting noted that customs law becomes the branch that regulates various aspects of public relations, directly or indirectly related to the matters of legal regulation – movement of goods and transports through border.

They also addressed the importance of introducing corrections to define the basis for calculating the customs payments, using Value Added Tax and excise tax (in line with articles 206, 211 and 230 of Tax Code), regulating the list of figures that shall have a right to partake in considering cases on customs infringements and other.

On the outcomes of discussions the sides agreed to send the well-founded recommendations to a working group to revise the draft of Customs Code in new edition.

SOCIETY

ADMISSION TESTS HELD AT UZBEK UNIVERSITIES

All higher educational establishments of Uzbekistan held admission tests on August 1.

State testing center under the Cabinet of Ministers told UzA that nearly 346,000 applications were submitted this year to the universities. 58,000 students will be admitted to the bachelor’s degree, which is 6,400 more than last year, UzA reported.

National University of Uzbekistan received 11,235 applications, admission commission deputy secretary Numonjon Mamadaliyev told UzA. The university opened new faculties this year, including genetics, Chinese languages, mineralogy and petrography, and geochemistry. A total of 1,860 students will be admitted, he said.

Tashkent State Technical University’s admission plans are 2,250 people. 10,581 applications were received this year, admission commission secretary Murodulla Muhammadiyev said.

The largest number of applications was submitted to the Tashkent State Pedagogical University – 20,000. Only 2,260 of them will become first-year students.

JICA GRANTS LANDSLIDES MONITORING EQUIPMENT TO UZBEKISTAN

The ceremony of handing over of equipments for landslides monitoring was held in the Bostanlyk District of Tashkent Province. It was organized by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as a part of technical cooperation between Uzbekistan and Japan, the Narodnoye slovo newspaper reported.

The fifth of Uzbekistan’s territory is mountainous relief. In springs during melting of snow occasionally happen the landslides and mudflows which cause certain damage both to people and infrastructure of nearby settlements. In connection with this the Japanese government adopted a decision to implement a project on improving skills on monitoring landslides in Uzbekistan. The project is underway since October last year.

Thanks to implementation of the project the necessary equipment for landslides and mudflows monitoring stations worth 500.000 dollars was delivered. It will serve for preventing natural cataclysms on the country’s territory.

In the framework of such project several Uzbek specialists of the Bostanlyk District attended training courses in Japan and gained experience of work in the new equipment.

Those who spoke at a solemn ceremony in Bostanlyk District have said that the implementation of project would not only be limited to Uzbekistan, but also the experience of natural cataclysms monitoring practice would be shared with neighboring countries in Central Asia. Such move will serve for further deepening the intra-regional cooperation, according to the report.

YOUNG GRAIN GROWERS, NEWLY WEDS RECEIVE AID

The traditional health train arrived in Navoi Province, according to Jahon Information Agency.

Sending such traditional trains is a part of the efforts undertaken in the nation to bring up the healthy generation and avoid various seasonal diseases, render assistance to less well-off families and those who are in need of such help.

Such campaign is well continued this year – the Year of Youth. The train included the consumer goods, medicines, bedclothes and many other necessary things. They were handed down to newly weds of up to 30 years of age and young farmers who have participated at the grain growing campaign this year.

The aid was also rendered to local kindergartens, schools and colleges in the province, in keeping with the report.

The Ecosan International Organization for Ecology and Health in cooperation with the State Joint-Stock Railway Company Uzbekiston Temir Yollari organized the campaign, the report also said.