August 13, 2007
Politics:
President Islam Karimov receives head of UNESCO office in Uzbekistan
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia comments on cooperation with Uzbekistan
Economics:
Sharq Plast Servis sets up export-oriented production
Some 2 million tonnes of agricultural products sold at fairs in Tashkent
Contest for the "Best product of Uzbekistan" being held
200 more Isuzu buses to join Tashkent public transport
Society:
International conference on ecology and oncology to be held
Al-Khorezmy’s successors
Fifty Tashkent schools to receive new equipment in 2007
POLITICS
PRESIDENT ISLAM KARIMOV RECEIVES HEAD OF UNESCO OFFICE IN UZBEKISTAN
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received head of the UNESCO office in the country Michael Barry on August 10 at Oqsaroy residence.
Cooperation between Uzbekistan and UNESCO is developing steadily, and Michael Barry Lane has played a great role in this, the head of the state said.
“We highly value developing cooperation with UNESCO and the support this organization provides to Uzbekistan’s initiatives,” the President said.
Islam Karimov awarded Michael Barry Lane, who is completing his mission in the country, with a Do`stlik (Friendship) order for the great contribution in development of Uzbekistan-UNESCO cooperation.
Michael Barry Lane expressed gratitude to President Karimov for the attention and regular support during his work in Uzbekistan. He said he was leaving the country with rich impressions and would continue contributing to development of relations between Uzbekistan and UNESCO.
UNESCO opened office in Uzbekistan in 1996, and Michael Barry Lane has headed it since then. That year, Islam Karimov visited UNESCO headquarters in Paris and participated in the events related to the 660th jubilee of Amir Temur. The President was given UNESCO medals named after Avicenna and Borobudur during that visit.
The final sitting of the UNESCO Executive Council’s 155th session was held in the Uzbek capital in 1998. It adopted Tashkent declaration “Culture of peace and UNESCO’s action in member states”.
Jointly with UNESCO, jubilees of Amir Temur, Mirzo Ulugbek, Ahmad al-Fargoni, Ismoil al-Bukhari, Kamoliddin Behzod, as well as cities of Bukhara, Khiva, Termez and Karshi, monuments of literature “Alpomish”, “Avesto”, and Khorezm Mamun Academy were widely celebrated on the international level.
Cooperation with UNESCO provides opportunities for promoting Uzbek culture abroad. One of the examples is widening geography of participants of the international music festival Sharq Taronalari, held every two years in Samarkand.
About 10 projects were implemented in cooperation with UNESCO, aimed at preservation and development of cultural heritage, in particular, Shoshmakom, traditions of carpet weaving and ceramic art, etc.
AMBASSADOR OF SAUDI ARABIA COMMENTS ON COOPERATION WITH UZBEKISTAN
On the occasion of the upcoming national holiday, the Independence Day, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Uzbekistan Mansur bin Ibrahim Muhammad al-Mansur spoke to UzA about the cooperation between the two countries.
- Mr. Ambassador, how would you evaluate the importance of economic and investment cooperation in the overall palette of relations between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan?
- The efforts of the heads of the two states – the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud and His Excellency President Islam Karimov – are directed toward the use of these opportunities and the existing potential for the strengthening of bilateral relations. Economy is one of the most important areas of cooperation. Not long ago the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia ratified the Agreement on the avoidance of double taxation between the two countries. In the mid-2006 the Agreement on mutual encouragement and protection of investments was ratified.
The Saudi Fund for Development participated in the roundtable meeting of the Arab Coordination Group held in Tashkent this year. As a result, decision was made to create working groups for coordination of cooperation between the ministries and agencies of Uzbekistan and the organizations of the ACG member-states.
- What other areas, in your opinion, have the potential for close and mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two countries?
- We believe that all areas of cooperation are interesting and important. The opportunities that currently exist are not being used to their full potential. Saudi Arabia is a large exporter of oil. Yet the Kingdom also has other sources of financing. It invests vast funds in the industrial, agricultural and trade enterprises. Saudi Arabia has numerous investments in the economies of different countries and continues to make capital investments. This aspect serves as a foundation for the strengthening of relations between our countries, which have all the chances of developing intensively in the future.
- How would you estimate the relations between the two states in the humanitarian sphere?
- Humanitarian cooperation between our countries is expanding. It is no secret that Uzbekistan is the homeland of great philosophers, who preserved and enriched Islamic heritage for centuries. We are putting strong efforts to further intensify friendly and brotherly relations between our countries.
And in this context, the recent visit of the Deputy Minister of Culture and Information of Saudi Arabia Abu Bakr Baqader to Uzbekistan played an important role. During the meetings held at a number of ministries and agencies, the development of bilateral cooperation in the spheres of science, culture and information was discussed. In particular, the possibility of organizing the Days of Saudi Arabia in Uzbekistan, and the Days of Uzbekistan in Saudi Arabia was considered. Many of our scientists expressed willingness to participate in the events being held in Uzbekistan on the occasion of the pronouncement of Tashkent the capital of Islamic culture in 2007.
- What are your wishes to the people of Uzbekistan on the upcoming holiday?
- I would like to wish the people of Uzbekistan prosperity and welfare. It is pleasing to know that the celebration of the Day of Independence in Uzbekistan this year coincides with the events related to ISESCO's pronouncement of Tashkent the capital of Islamic culture. This decision is the result of great efforts being put by Uzbekistan led President Islam Karimov.
ECONOMICS
SHARQ PLAST SERVIS SETS UP EXPORT-ORIENTED PRODUCTION
Production of export-oriented goods and their marketing is not a simple task. Following the independence, an growing number of enterprises is accomplishing it. One of them is Tashkent-based Sharq Plast Servis LLC, UzA wrote.
"Our plastic pipes, marketed under the Polimer Group trademark, are widely used in the laying of gas and water pipes," said the director of the enterprise Murod Pulatov. "We produce pipes with the diameters ranging from 16 to 400 mm, with a warranty period of up to 50 years. We have already completed the orders with several large enterprises, including Almalyk and Navoi Mining and Smelting Kombinats, Ammofos, and others. Last year, we exported products for over 166 million soums."
Since the beginning of the year, the enterprise has shipped plastic pipes to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for some 88.5 million soums. This significantly exceeds the previous year's result. The enterprise's staff pays close attention to the analysis of external market, production of goods that fully comply with the international standards. Thus, after the installation of the new technology line purchased for this purpose, the enterprise will produce pipes 710 mm in diameter.
SOME 2 MILLION TONNES OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS SOLD AT FAIRS IN TASHKENT
Works are being carried out at more than 20 markets and about 70 of their branches to improve the conditions for buyers and sellers.
Trade fairs are being organised to ensure that the buyers have the opportunity to purchase high quality agricultural products, UzA quoted Toshbozortayorlovsavdo.
This year, over 2 million tonnes of agricultural products, including 364,500 tonnes of potatoes, 296,700 tonnes of onions, 666.2 tonnes of other vegetables, and about 4 million eggs have been sold at this type of fairs at relatively low prices.
The farmers of Karakalpakstan and the regions regularly bring their products to the fairs in the capital. Farmers of Namangan have brought over 700,000 tonnes of agricultural products to the fair in Khamza district of Tashkent. 55,600 tonnes outs of the total of 80,000 tonnes of meat traded at Tashkent fairs were contributed by Navoi cattle-breeders.
The administrations of the market have appropriated 130 trade stalls, 10 freezer-windows for meat, and other necessary equipment to the participants of the fair.
CONTEST FOR THE "BEST PRODUCT OF UZBEKISTAN" BEING HELD
Contest for the "Best Product of Uzbekistan" is being held to assist market saturation with competitive, high quality goods, enhancement of the country's export potential, and wide integration of advanced technology, UzA reported.
Over twenty shareholding companies, joint ventures and private firms have set their products for competition at the regional round in Namangan. Among the participants are the enterprises of the machine-engineering, textile, wood-working, and food industries. The showroom included products of Uzelectroterm, Namanganmash, Namanganmebel, Uzbekkrovlya, Bunyod JV, Nestle-Uzbekistan, Marvel Juice, Vodiy Shirinliklari, Chashmai Safed, Lazzat, Tervis Capital and other producers.
"To raise the economy to a higher level, to increase the gross regional product is our priority task," said the Head of the Regional Standardisation Department A. Ubaydullaev. "Improvement of the quality of good produced, their market competitiveness, the use of marketing, the knowledge of the legislation, are the necessary factors for a good producer in the conditions of market economy."
The regional round of the "Best product of Uzbekistan" has identified the winners. The winner of the First Class Diploma is Kasansay based agro-industrial producer, Chashmai Safed, headed by an entrepreneur-farmer Hamidhon Muydinhojaev. The company he manages works based on German technology to produce several types of dairy products, which have already found demand in the market. The President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, during his visit to Namangan region, positively appraised the company's performance and gave recommendations on further improvements and expansion of production.
Among other the winners of the regional round are four enterprises producing foodstuffs and consumer goods, including Vodiy Shirinliklari, Marvel Juice, Tervis Capital and Namanganvino.
200 MORE ISUZU BUSES TO JOIN TASHKENT PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Toshavtobustrans (Tashkent Bus Transport) will purchase 200 more Isuzu buses produced by Samarkand automobile plant, company representative Habibulla Ismatillayev told UzA.
One hundred buses of this number will start running in the streets of the capital before the Independence Day (1 September), and will replace old buses.
The measures are being taken in the framework of the passenger transport renewal program.
According to Tashkent city public transport licensing and coordination department, there are 321 public transport routes in the capital. Of them, 131 are bus routes and 190 are minibus routes.
Toshavtobustrans runs buses on 161 routes, while the rest are being served by private cars.
Over 1,200 buses and microbuses of Toshavtobustrans carry passengers every day, company director Tolkin Dadaboyev said. They make more than 15,000 trips and carry over 1.5 million passengers every day.
During the years of independence, the company added 576 Mercedes-Benz buses, 190 UzOtoyol microbuses and 107 Isuzu microbuses to its fleet.
SOCIETY
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ECOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY TO BE HELD
Unfavourable environment is becoming one of the main causes of health problems in population. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only in about 10-20% of cases, the population's health status is determined by medical aspects, whereas in 70% of cases it depends on social, ecological conditions and lifestyle.
Air pollution by such exhausts of transport and industrial enterprises, as the compounds of lead, nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, as well as heavy metal and agrochemical pollution of water and soil lead to increase in the population's morbidity, particularly oncological. Moreover, about 80% of cancer cases are the result of exposure to the negative factors of the environment and lifestyle. Lack of basic knowledge about the prevention, lack of time to quickly react to the changes in health status, and other factors increase the chances of suffering from oncological disease.
Thanks to the successful reforms in the healthcare system, the implementation of a number of state programmes on the improvement of the environment, a reduction in the overall morbidity of the population has been recorded in Uzbekistan in the past few years. At the same time, the problems of oncology remain very urgent, not only in Uzbekistan… Actions need to be taken to address this problem, study the main causes of oncological diseases, particularly the ecological factors, and implement preventive measures.
With this aim in mind, and within the frame of the "Year of Social Protection" State Programme, Ecosan International Organisation and the Republican Oncology Scientific Centre under the Ministry of Healthcare of Uzbekistan are organizing an international conference on "Ecology and oncology" scheduled for 14 August. The heads and representatives of a number of ministries, large enterprises, international organizations, the diplomatic corps accredited in Uzbekistan, and medical institutions specialized in oncology are expected to attend.
AL-KHOREZMY’S SUCCESSORS
The six representatives of Uzbekistan were awarded a silver, and three bronze medals and two diplomas at the 48th International Mathematics Olympiad in Hanoi.
“It is one the best results of Uzbek schoolchildren because our young successors of great medieval mathematician Al-Khorezmy achieved the same results in 2002”, says Shamsiddin Usanov, sectorial head of the Uzbek Ministry of Public Education. “The jury marked the six participants. It is tenth participation of Uzbekistan in the International Mathematics Olympiad. By the way, within this time we have won 20 medals, and 16 of them were won by students of the Special School for talented children ¹ 1 in Karakul district of Bukhara region”.
“I share my success with my compatriots, first of all, with my teacher and relatives”, notes Utkir Boltaboyev, thrice-repeated silver winner, a student of the first special school for talented children in Karakul district of Bukhara region. “I think that it is a good result. After all, over five hundred strongest young mathematicians from 93 states came together in Hanoi. I solved four puzzles and I had to solve, at least one more to win a gold medal, but I was a little unsuccessful. I am very pleased with bronze winners Hamrazjon Chuyanov who is my schoolmate and Ozod Zoirov form Navoi and Bahritdin Abdiyev from Kashkadarya region. My messmate Alisher Eshonkulov and Rustam Bosimov who is a student of School 22 of Bayaut district of Syrdarya region were also successful because they were awarded special diplomas”.
“We are making progress due to favorable conditions created in schools for high-quality teaching and of course best skills of our school teachers”, stressed a headmaster Tukhtamurod Jumayev.
When the six participants returned to Tashkent, they were given various presents. The medalists are entiled to out-of-competition enrollment in a higher educational establishment. They promised to help their younger compatriots to master mathematics.
Although the results of the 48th International Mathematics Olympiad have been summarized recently, the Ministry of Public Education of Uzbekistan is already preparing for the selection of schoolchildren for the 49th mathematics Olympiad that will take place in Madrid.
FIFTY TASHKENT SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE NEW EQUIPMENT IN 2007
In accordance with the State national school education development program for 2004-2009, 2 new schools will be built, 2 schools reconstructed and 24 fully repaired and 24 will undergo regular repairs this year in Tashkent.
So far, more than 30 schools have been prepared for the new academic year to start in September, and repairs are being completed at other schools.
Tashkent city public education department told UzA that more than 50 schools would receive new furniture, computers and educational and sports equipment this year.