10 April, 2006

Content:

Politics
Uzbek leader's visit to Korea has historic importance
Russian parliamentary delegation meets Uzbek officials
Indian Prime Minister to pay visit to Uzbekistan - reports
Business
New office of Shaller-O’zbekiston llc opens in Tashkent
APTA, Uzbekistan Havo Yollari to sign cooperation agreements
Uzbek airline opens new flights to Russia
Altay interested in cooperation with Uzbekistan - report
Society
Uzbek theatre participates CIS festival in Russia

Politics

UZBEK LEADER'S VISIT TO KOREA HAS HISTORIC IMPORTANCE

State visit of President of Uzbekistan to South Korea has historic significance for further development of relations between two countries and their prosperity, former speaker of National Assembly of Korea Lee Man-sop said in interview with Jahon news agency of Uzbek Foreign Ministry.

He said he met Uzbek president Islam Karimov and hailed views of Uzbek leader on economic and democratic development of Uzbekistan.

Political and social stability, growth of economy and increase of prosperity of people in Uzbekistan shows correctness of selected way, which is carried out in Uzbekistan gradually, he said.

Speaking about the results of the visit, Lee Man-sop said the achieved strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and South Korea is great service of President Islam Karimov. Due to his attention and efforts of cooperation between countries are developing dynamically.

"Today we see new perspective forms of interaction. The visit shows coincidence of our interests in such strategic spheres as energy and mineral resources, banking-financial sector, small and medium business."

Lee Man-sop also expressed gratitude to President Islam Karimov and the Uzbek government for care of ethnic Koreans, living in Uzbekistan and support of Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a candidate for the post of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.

It was pleasure to hear words of Islam Karimov that in case of election of Ban Ki-moon to the post, he will represent not only South Korea, but also Uzbekistan, he added.

Lee Man-sop expressed hope that relations between states will strengthen further and wished happiness and well-being of Uzbek people.

RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION MEETS UZBEK OFFICIALS

Speaker of Council of Federation of Federal Assembly of Russian Federation Sergey Mironov visited Senate of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan on Monday, 10 April.

Mironov met the speaker of Senate of Senate Ilgizar Sobir to discuss issues on further development of relation between upper houses of two parliaments and cooperation in legislation sphere. The guests acquainted with activity of Senate and its committees. On the results of the talks, the sides signed agreement on cooperation between Senate Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan and Council of Federation of Federal Assembly of Russia. The agreement became the first international document of Uzbek Senate.

Mironov said the agreement will have important role in further expansion of relations between Uzbekistan and Russian in legislation sphere. The document envisages creation of expert commission on coordination of interaction, which will include representatives of two parliaments.

Mironov added Uzbekistan is country with great cultural and historic heritage and he said during the visit to Samarkand he was impressed with historic monuments.

Russian delegation also held negotiations with speaker of Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis Erkin Khalilov. The sides exchanged opinion on current state and perspective of inter-parliament cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia. It was noted that the visit will lift relations to new level.

Mironov delivered a report on Uzbek-Russian relations at Academy of State and Public Construction under Uzbek President Islam Karimov.

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER TO PAY VISIT TO UZBEKISTAN - REPORTS

Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh will pay visit to Uzbekistan in the end of April, Indian media reported on Monday, 10 April.

The reports said Indian Prime Minister will fly to Tashkent on 25 April on his way back home from Germany. Manmohan Singh will visit Germany on 22-24 April.

The reports added Singh's visit to Uzbekistan will be a reciprocal visit after Mr Karimov visited New Delhi in April 2005. The sides had signed a strategic partnership and agreed on key areas of bilateral cooperation, including in the military sphere during the Uzbek leader's visit to India.

It is expected that an agreement on energy cooperation will be signed within the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Uzbekistan.

Business
NEW OFFICE OF SHALLER-OZBEKISTON LLC OPENS IN TASHKENT

Presentation of the Shaller-O'zbekiston LLC's new office located in Sabir-Rahimov district of Tashkent was held on 7 April.

Director-General of the Company Yuldosh Kazakov opened the ceremony. Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan Nabijon Kasymov, and khokim (mayor) of Sabir-Rahimov district Bahtiyor Khakimov also made speeches.

Vice President of Schaller Lebensmitteltechnik, Godrid Schuster, and the President of Norbert Schaller GmbH, Norbert Schaller, made response speeches.

Schaller-O'zbekiston limited liability company supplies equipment and technology for processing meat, fish, poultry and packaging cheese products. Today, the company's equipment is used in the production of sausages and other meat products of the famous Uzbek brands, such as Moskovskiye Delikatesi, Tegen, Sagban, Shirin, Navruz, Abdullaev, Mutalov, etc.

The company assembles, installs, tests its equipment, as well as provides technical maintenance services. Besides, it supplies spare parts, maintenance materials, equipment for the production of spices and seasonings for food products, and provides consulting services.

APTA, UZBEKISTAN HAVO YOLLARI TO SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENTS

Association of Private Tourism Agencies of Uzbekistan (APTA) is planning to sign two cooperation agreements with Uzbekistan Havo Yollari (Uzbekistan Airways) and Tashkent International Airport.

The corresponding agreement was reached during the meeting of private tourism business representatives with leadership of Uzbekistan Havo Yollari.

The meeting discussed issues on development of tourism in Uzbekistan, in particular sides considered issues on joint participation in international exhibitions and fairs and decrease of tariffs in non-season period (in winter and autumn), as well as increase number of internal flights.

The sides agreed to hold regular meetings before the start of tourism season to boost tourism market of Uzbekistan.

UZBEK AIRLINE OPENS NEW FLIGHTS TO RUSSIA

Uzbekistan Havo Yollari (Uzbekistan Airways) started to carry out flight from Tashkent to Krasnoyarsk (Russia) via Andijan in summer schedule (from 26 March).

The flight to Krasnoyarsk will be carried out on TU-154M aircrafts each Tuesday till 9 May and starting from 15 May the flight will be carried out on Mondays.

The Uzbek airline is also planning to open flight from Bukhara to Saint Petersbourg (Russia) and open third flight from Bukhara to Moscow. These flights carried out on Boeing 757/767 aircrafts.

ALTAY INTERESTED IN COOPERATION WITH UZBEKISTAN - REPORT

Last week, Uzbekistan hosted a Russian-Uzbek Business Forum, which was directed to boost trade-economic relation between Uzbekistan and Russia. The Russian delegation led by First Vice-President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry Boris Pastuhov visited Uzbekistan.

The Russian delegation included over 100 people, representing various companies and regions of Russia. Large number of businesses represent Altay region, one of the largest economic partners of Uzbekistan among Russian regions.

Boris Chesnakov, president of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Alyat region, said economy of Altay region was always closely connected with Central Asian states, especially with Uzbekistan. "We supplied tractors, tires, timber products, pharmaceutical and chemical products to Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan exported fruits, vegetables and cotton. Collapse of Soviet Union cut our economic arteries and we were busy with own problems. But in recent years in Russia and Uzbekistan, entrepreneurs started to search for new ways to markets of each other. In the result of 2005, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Russia made up US$2 billion, of which US$250 million fell to share of Sibir Federal Region. US$88 million of US$250 million fell to share of Altay."

He said Altay is on the second place among regions of Russian on trade-economic relations with Uzbekistan. He added the region increased export to Uzbekistan by 34%. Chesnakov said the region is actively working on supply of timber, flour and cereals. He said redundancy of flour observed in Altay and enterprises are searching for new markets and Uzbekistan is very perspective direction.

Chesnakov expansion of cooperation requires to solve arising problems. He gave as an example of transportation costs and said the sides should work on decrease of transportation costs.

He said Altay region knows and loves Uzbek fruits and vegetables and in Tashkent the sides considered opportunities of opening trade houses in the region to promote Uzbek goods in markets of the region. He said it would also assist Uzbek businesses to establish contacts with Altay counterparts.

SOCIETY

UZBEK THEATRE PARTICIPATES CIS FESTIVAL IN RUSSIA

Youth Theatre of Uzbekistan is participating at the Eight International Festival of Russian Theatres of CIS and Baltics "Vstrechi v Rossii" (Meetings in Russia). The Uzbek theatre will present play Tarttyuf at festival.

The nine-day festival started in Saint Petersburg on 7 April. Theatres from Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldavia, Russia and Tajikistan are participanting in the event.

The Uzbek theatre will present classic comedy based on play of Moler, staged by famous Uzbek director Nabi Abdurakhmanov.

It is expected that the festival will present many classic plays. Besides, it is planned to stage play of Maxim Gorkiy "Na Dne" with participation of actors of Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Moldavia, Georgia and Russia.