September 3, 2008
Politics:
President of Uzbekistan received Russian PM
Putin Holds Talks in Tashkent, Sides Sign Docs, Discuss Ties
German Defense minister visiting Uzbekistan
Economics:
Credit Suisse Group Hosts Business Forum at Uzbek Capital
Discussion of the issues of arbitration courts held in Tashkent
IDB allocates US$42m credit to construct transmission line in southern Uzbekistan
Society:
President visits Shohidlar Khotirasi complex
Khorezm Province Betters Perinatal Centers
New Modern Youth Center Established in Downtown Andijan
International Tennis Tournament Launched in Ferghana
POLICY
PRESIDENT OF UZBEKISTAN RECEIVED RUSSIAN PM
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin at Durmen presidential residence on September 2, UzA reported.
Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin paid a working visit to Uzbekistan on September 1-2. He met his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyayev to discuss cooperation between countries in various spheres. The sides signed several documents on the result of the talks.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov said at the meeting that the Uzbek-Russian relations are developing in line with allied relations. He said Uzbekistan highly values wide-scale cooperation with Russia. Uzbek leader said the current meeting is good opportunity to exchange opinion on issues of bilateral collaboration and other issues of mutual interest.
Uzbekistan and Russia signed the agreement on strategic partnership in 2004 and a year later the sides inked the agreement on allied relations.
In his turn, Vladimir Putin said Russia considers Uzbekistan as its important strategic partner in the Central Asian region.
During the meeting, the sides exchanged opinion on trade-economic, scientific-technical, investment, humanitarian and political cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia. The sides also discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest.
PUTIN HOLDS TALKS IN TASHKENT, SIDES SIGN DOCS, DISCUSS TIES
On September 2 the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoev held tete-a-tete talks with Vladimir Putin at the Business Center in Tashkent, Jahon Information Agency reported.
The sides discussed the issues related to current state and prospects of trade and economic relations between Uzbekistan and Russia, and in particular, the long-term cooperation in fuel and energy complex.
At the delegation-level talks the sides have underscored that the relations between Uzbekistan and Russia gradually developed based on the Treaty on allied relations of 2005.
Russian Prime Minister Putin has underscored that Uzbekistan is one of the main partners of Russia in the Central Asian region and noted that he supports expansion and consolidation of bilateral mutually beneficial ties with Uzbekistan.
The Uzbek-Russian economic cooperation consistently develops almost in all spheres, and particularly, in aviation building and machinery, transport and telecommunications, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food industry, wood processing, agriculture, energy and electro-techniques. The sides regularly hold business forums, exhibitions and meetings of governmental commissions.
In 2007 the volume of trade between the two states grew by 48 percent and made up 4.2 billion US dollars. Along with raw materials and half-finished products Uzbekistan exports to Russia equipments, transport tools, foodstuff, cotton fiber, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastic goods and other types of high technological products. At the same time, Uzbekistan imports from Russia transports, products of metal processing and pulp and paper industry.
Over 500 joint ventures established in cooperation with Russian investors operate in Uzbekistan. Among them: Uzeletroapparat-Electroshit (electro technical products), Andijan kabel, Hi-Tech Kabel (cables), Vim-Bill-Dan Tashkent (dairy products), Baltimore-Chelak (canned food), Elimpex (textile industry), Electroizolit (construction materials) and Petromaruzgas (chemical products). 145 Russian firms and companies opened their offices in Uzbekistan. About 300 joint ventures launched with Uzbek investors operate in Russia.
“Uzbekistan is one of the main partners of Russia,” Vladimir Putin said. “Russia pays a particular attention to developing relations with Uzbekistan. We strive to strengthen our relations based on the principles of strategic partnership and friendship on maximum spectrum of issues. We highly assess the attention paid by President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov to extending cooperation between our states. We are very glad of high results of our ties. The intensive growth of trade between Uzbekistan and Russia speaks about further consolidation of trade and economic, as well as investment cooperation. The firm growth of economic potential of Uzbekistan is worth noting. We stand for further extending and consolidating cooperation, long-term partnership ties in many spheres, particularly, in fuel and energy areas.”
At the talks in Tashkent the sides also exchanged views on economic potential and opportunities of Uzbekistan and Russia. A particular attention was paid to further raising a number of joint companies and list of products in trade.
Following the official part of talks the sides are reported to have signed an Action plan to intergovernmental Program of economic cooperation for 2008-2012 as well as the Intergovernmental space program of research of Earth and Space for peaceful purposes.
GERMAN DEFENSE MINISTER VISITING UZBEKISTAN
Franz Josef Jung, Minister of defense of Germany, held talks with Minister of defense of Uzbekistan Ruslan Mirzaev on September 2 in Tashkent.
During the negotiations, it was noted that cooperation between Uzbekistan and Germany was developing in all spheres, including the military area.
Uzbekistan and Germany conduct close cooperation in struggling against terrorism, extremism, drug smuggling and other threats.
“We are supporters of further expansion and strengthening of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in military sphere,” Franz Josef Jung said.
During the meeting, the sides considered issues of development of military cooperation, including increasing exchange of experience and information. Development and implementation of new joint projects was also on the agenda.
ECONOMY
CREDIT SUISSE GROUP HOSTS BUSINESS FORUM AT UZBEK CAPITAL
As a part of the visit of delegation of International Financial Group Credit Suisse the business forum was held in Tashkent with participation of representatives of relevant ministries, agencies and business circles of Uzbekistan, the Pravda Vostoka newspaper reported.
Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of Uzbekistan jointly with Uzinfoinvest Agency, the national body that provides information and assistance to foreign investors, organized the forum. The businessmen from Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain, Singapore, Switzerland, Spain, Netherlands, Canada and Belgium took part at it.
Uzbekistan created favorable investment climate, necessary conditions and privileges to undertaking the joint business with foreign investors. During the forum the guests learnt in detail about priority directions of attracting investments to the economy of Uzbekistan.
The members of the delegation learnt about active processes of privatization now underway in Uzbekistan, gradual economic reforms, development of small businesses and private entrepreneurship, as well as banking sector.
“We have become convinced of that Uzbekistan offers favorable conditions for active development of cooperation not only in trade and economic spheres but also in other areas,” Chairman of Credit Suisse Group of Switzerland Huber Martin Vivian said. “We are interested in strengthening trade and economic cooperation with Uzbekistan and hope that today’s forum will serve to consolidation of bilateral relations.”
Delegates to the forum exchanged views on the prospects of cooperation in trade, banking, finance, fuel, energy, aviation and machine building spheres as well as in such areas as transport communication, geology and mineral resources, food, chemical and light industry, construction and pharmaceuticals.
DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES OF ARBITRATION COURTS HELD IN TASHKENT
Alternative ways of dispute resolution between legal entities through arbitration courts and mediation were discussed at the UNDP supported seminar on 28 August in the premises of Arbitration Development Center, Tashkent.
The seminar titled "Arbitration Courts in Uzbekistan: practical aspects of activity and development perspectives" was part of the series of events planned to be carried out in Tashkent and all regions of the country, Uzreport Business Inforamtion Portal reported.
Similar seminars had been held in Andijan, Nukus, Urgench, Termez, Qarshi, Namangan, Samarqand, Fergana, Jizzakh, Gulistan, Bukhara, Navoi and Tashkent for lawyers of financial institutions and businesses, representatives of the judicial system and entrepreneurs.
Over 20 lawyers of various credit unions and visiting lecturer Sohiba Gafarova, who is an executive secretary at Arbitration Court under the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan had discussed about possibility of future using of arbitration system in their claims. Participants had also learned about modern trends in arbitration and mediation, activities of the Arbitration Development Center under the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, including procedures of the arbitration courts, selection of arbitrators and other related issues. During the seminar participants discussed current trends, exchanged recommendations regarding arbitration clauses and how to solve the issue with the help of mediator.
The seminar was organized within the joint project of UNDP and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan "Supporting to the development of arbitration courts and other alternative methods of dispute settlement in the Republic of Uzbekistan".
IDB ALLOCATES US$42M CREDIT TO CONSTRUCT TRANSMISSION LINE IN SOUTHERN UZBEKISTAN
The Board of Executive Directors of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) approved US$42 million credit line to the Government of Uzbekistan for construction of transmission line in the south of the country, Uzbekenergo state joint-stock company said. The credit was allocated for 15 years, including three year grace period, the company said. It is expected that the credit agreement will be signed in the fourth quarter of 2008 and the project will be launched in mid 2009. The 500 KV Guzar-Surkhan Transmission Line and Sub-Stations Project will be also financed due to resources of Uzbekistan Reconstruction and Development Fund and OPEC Fund. Uzbekenrgo state joint-stock company plans to attract US$913.8 million of foreign investments in 2008-2012 to realize projects in electricity production and US$1.32 billion for creation of energy infrastructure.
SOCIETY
PRESIDENT VISITS SHOHIDLAR KHOTIRASI COMPLEX
President of Uzbekistan visited Shohidlar Khotirasi memorial complex in the morning to honor the memory of victims of repressions.
The head of the state familiarized with the exhibition of the newly reconstructed Museum of memory of repression victims, UzA reported.
The memorial complex Shohidlar Khotirasi (Memory of martyrs) is the homage to the memory of innocently lost compatriots and visiting it before celebrating the Day of Independence ennobles our thoughts, allows make conclusions of the past, to appreciate the today, to realize all the value of independence.
The representatives of the senior generation, intelligentsia, and government officials gathered at the complex.
On the same day, President Karimov visited the Mustaqillik (Independence) Square and laid flowers to the Independence and Humanism Monument.
Representatives of the Parliament's upper and lower chambers, the Cabinet, ministries and departments, as well as the public also laid flowers to the monument, UzA reported.
KHOREZM PROVINCE BETTERS PERINATAL CENTERS
Uzbekistan is gradually accomplishing the reforms in the sphere of healthcare aimed at developing and bettering medical aid to population, protecting health of mothers and children, Jahon Information Agency quoting the Narodnoye slovo newspaper.
The country equips the medical establishments with cutting-edge tools, carries out profound work on raising the quality of medical services. Modern incubators were set up at the Perinatal Center of Khorezm Province. At the moment, the early newborns pass through adaptation period at them.
Besides, the Khorezm Province plans to procure other latest medical equipment of 70 types worth in total 475 million soums. They will be set up at eleven maternity hospitals in the area.
NEW MODERN YOUTH CENTER ESTABLISHED IN DOWNTOWN ANDIJAN
Amid celebrations of the 17th anniversary of Uzbekistan a new Youth Center has been established in Andijan, UzA reported.
Uzbekistan carries out enormous work to comprehensively support and promote the youth. Colleges, lyceums, schools and sports facilities are particularly important in upbringing healthy and harmonically mature forthcoming generation.
The newly built Youth Center at the center of Andijan became yet another practical embodiment of the work underway in the nation in this direction.
The new center was built in line with modern architectural standards and includes the wedding ceremonies hall able to accommodate 800 people, information and resource center with modern computers and rich stocks of books, children’s playground, as well as study classrooms.
INTERNATIONAL TENNIS TOURNAMENT LAUNCHED IN FERGHANA
Traditional international Tournament Ferghana Cup among juniors as a part of International Tennis Federation schedule of events launched in Ferghana, the agencies reported.
Young tennis players from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, India and Japan are taking part at this prestigious contest at the Istiklol Tennis Court.
Regular holding of such international tournaments as Tashkent Open, Challenger and Futures witness about that Uzbekistan secures its own place in world tennis.
“We have witnessed the good organization of the tournament,” young Russian tennis player Anna Popugaeva said. “I know well that Uzbekistan is a home of strong tennis players. Tennis is one of the most popular kinds of sports in here.”
At the Challenger the young talented masters of tennis - Temur Ismailov, Maksud Yunusov, Sarvar Pulatov, Zarina Yunusalieva, Alina Abdurakhmanova and Sabina Sharipova will defend the honor of Uzbekistan.