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LATEST NEWS : JULY 2007

The President of Ukraine, Viktor Yuschenko has signed a decree on the appointment of the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Ukraine to Uzbekistan Vyacheslav Pohvalsky, UzReportcom reported. Mr. Pohvalsky will also serve as the Ukrainian Envoy to Tajikistan.

The decree was signed on July 28, 2007, the President's press service said.

Ombudsman of Oliy Majlis (parliament) of Uzbekistan visited Andijan region in July 2007, UzReportcom reported.

During the meeting with regional authorities, among the topics of discussion was interaction with local government agencies on the protection of human rights, constitutional rights and liberties of citizens, as well as support and coordination of the activity of the Ombudsman's regional office, organization of conferences and seminars.

Within the visit, a conference titled "Urgent issues of cooperation between Ombudsman and state agencies and non-governmental organizations to ensure the compliance with and protection of human rights".

The meeting was organised with the support of the regional khokimiat (administration), courts and law enforcement agencies, and the institute of civil society, and demonstrated the aspirationof the regional executive bodies, divisions, public organizations and media to assist the modernization of the state, and further democratization of all sides of the society's life.

Among the participants of the seminar were the representatives of the regional authorities, General Prosecutor's Office, Ministries of Justice and Internal Affairs, National Centre of Uzbekistan for Human Rights, regional internal affairs departments, healthcare and justice, prosecutor's offices, trade unions, regional Ombudsman's office, deputy of the German Bundestag, Chairman of the Germany-Uzbekistan Friendship Society W. Bauer, and the staff of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's Office in Central Asia, Kazakhstan and South Caucasus.

Two weeks earlier the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan registered the Association of Professional Participants of the Insurance Market of Uzbekistan. The Association has thus begun its operation, Uzbek media reported.

The Association's activity involves the research of the insurance market conjuncture, and development of recommendations on the measures to ensure market transparency, develop competition, and increase the volume, diversity and quality of services provided; provision of assistance to the potential foreign investors in investment in the insurance market of Uzbekistan; raising public awareness about the benefits of insurance, the operation of the insurance companies, etc; and improvement of the system of preparation and training of insurance officers, development of the norms of professional ethics for the companies.

The international roundtable “The conceptual issues of humanization and liberalization the penal and legal legislature – the state and prospects of deepening the legal and judicial reforms in Uzbekistan” has been held in Tashkent, Jahon agency reported. The Institute for the study of civil society, Institute of monitoring the current legislation of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and German Conrad Adenauer Fund organized the meeting, according to the report.


The members of both houses of the Uzbek national parliament - Oliy Majlis, representatives of diplomatic corps in Tashkent, experts, scholars, and heads of the higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan as well as experts from Russia, Germany, the U.S. and Japan took part in the roundtable.

The participants are reported have shared their views o­n the current democratic transformations in Uzbekistan in the context of liberalization of the judicial and legal system and adoption of the Laws “On introducing amendments and addenda to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in view of abolition the death penalty” and “On introducing amendments and addenda to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in view of transferring to courts the right to issue the arrest warrants”.

The event is also reported to have underscored that decrees of the President Islam Karimov “On abolition the death penalty in the Republic of Uzbekistan” and “On transferring to courts the right to issue the arrest warrants” and adoption of the corresponding laws with regard to such documents has been highly assessed by the world community. Being a logical continuation of the activity to further liberalize the judicial and legal system, they will serve to taking the processes of establishing the democratic state in Uzbekistan up to a new level.

The roundtable has also addressed such issues as strengthening the judiciary, defense lawyers’ institution, institutions for extra-judicial defense of citizens and introducing the institutions for reconciliation of sides. 

One of the outstanding tasks in the sphere of liberalisation of criminal-procedural legislation and the law application practices – passing the right to issue arrest warrants to courts has found its legislative solution.

While having written the fundamental ideas of the court’s protecting the legal interests of person into the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, since the very moment of gaining independence our country is confidently moving toward raising the role of court in the pre-court investigation.

Human rights emerge today as the most important factor, which determines the function, content and forms of courts’ and law enforcement bodies’ procedural activity. This is a key point which expresses the essence of the work, which has been carried out since the first day of independence and aimed at reforming the court and the legal sphere.

One of the central issues in the process of reforms and further liberalisation of judicial and legal system, as had been designated by the President of our country, is “passing the part of Public Prosecutor’s office authority to courts. First of all, it concerns the issues connected with limitation of constitutional rights and freedoms of a person, his or her immunity”.

The main tasks of realisation of passing the right to issue arrest warrants from prosecutor’s office to courts were determined by the Decree of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On passing the right to issue arrest warrants to courts” from August 8, 2005. The document underscores that the most important task of reforms of judicial and legal system, which is being carried out in Uzbekistan, is ensuring the effective protection of constitutional rights and freedoms of a person and, above all, his right to protection against groundless criminal prosecution and interference in his or her private life, and personal immunity. It should be noted that the advantage of judicial procedure of application of preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody is that the decision to limit the constitutional rights of a person is made by the body which does no depend on the investigation and prosecutor’s control.

With a view to finding a successful solution for this issue the legislation of foreign countries has been studied. The court control over the pre-court investigation and the universally recognized principles and standards of international right function there. It designates that the rights and freedoms of person are unshakable and nobody has a right to deny or limit them without the decision of court.

The results of the study have been considered during the elaboration of organizational and legal, as well as procedural mechanisms of implementing the right of courts to sanction such type preventive punishment as taking into custody.

It should be noted that passing the right to issue arrest warrants to courts and prolong its terms makes judges responsible for revealing shortcomings of investigation at the early stages of legal proceeding. It will allow to ensure the effective protection of rights and legal interests of person, who had drawn attention of law enforcement bodies.

The Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On introducing amendments and addenda to some of legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan with regard to passing the right to issue arrest warrants to courts”, which was adopted on June 13, 2007 by the Legislation chamber of Oliy Majlis and approved by the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on June 29, 2007 designates the procedural ruling of applying the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody and the judicial ruling of prolonging the term of holding in custody, as well as strengthens procedural guarantees of protection of constitutional rights and freedoms of person in criminal procedure.

First, it is reflected on the law’s strict regulation of process of applying the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody.

It is determined that preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody can be applied only in the respect of detained suspect or a person engaged in the case as a culprit of premeditated crimes for which the Criminal code envisages more than three years of imprisonment, as well as the crimes, which had been committed due to carelessness and for which the Criminal code envisages more than five years of imprisonment.

Second, only in extraordinary cases this type of preventive punishment can be applied with regard the premeditated crimes for which the Criminal code envisages not more than three years of imprisonment, and the crimes, which had been committed due to carelessness and for which the Criminal code envisages not more than five years of imprisonment. With the aim of strengthening the procedural guarantees of protecting the constitutional rights and freedoms of person, who is taken into custody and excluding broad interpretation of the norm, the legislator designates the list of extraordinary cases of applying the aforementioned type of preventive punishment. The list includes following circumstances: if the culprit (suspect) does not have a domicile on the territory of Uzbekistan; if the identity of culprit (suspect) has not been established; if he or she has violated the less strict preventive punishment, which had been applied to him or her before; if he or she went into hiding from investigation and court; if the crime had been committed while serving the punishment in the form of arrest or being held in custody.

Third, it is designated by law that the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody can be applied by the petition of the prosecutor or investigator with prosecutor’s approval in those cases when it is impossible to apply less strict type of preventive punishment. Thus the legislator determines functioning of two types of control, in other words, ensures the correlation of prosecutor’s and judicial control.

Considering the limiting character of the mentioned type of preventive punishment, the legislator strives for preventing of investigator’s possible groundless petitions on applying the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody by means of prosecutor’s control. While approving the petition of the investigator on applying the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody in the respect of detained suspect or culprit, the prosecutor must check the existence of evidences for applying the mentioned type of preventive punishment in the documents, which had been presented to him.

Having studied the petition, the prosecutor has a right to give instructions to the body inquest or the investigator with regard to choosing the type of preventive punishment not connected with taking into custody.

Thereby, introduction of these norms will allow raising the responsibility of bodies of investigation for validity and legality of citizen’s being detained.

If agreed with the petition, prosecutor presents it to the court. The petition must include the evidences proving the necessity for taking into custody and precise information about the person to be taken into custody.

Fourth, the legislator has defined a list of persons who must participate in studying the petition on applying the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody. They are following participants of criminal proceeding: prosecutor, advocate, if the latter participates in the case, detained suspect or the culprit. The law envisages that participation of culprit of detained suspect in the trial on applying the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody is a must. Thereby the principal of competitiveness is followed and the above mentioned participants of criminal proceeding are ensured the right for defense, which is the important procedural guarantee. Only in case of culprit being on run petition on applying the mentioned type of preventive punishment can be studied without his participation. Upon the result of petition’s study, the judge makes his decision whether to apply preventive punishment in the form taking into custody or reject it.

The fifth procedural guarantee is a strict limitation terms of holding in custody which accounts for 72 hours and can be prolonged by court to 48 hours more, according to the petition of sides – prosecutor, detained suspect or the culprit and their defender. This term is envisaged for sides to present additional evidences proving validity or groundlessness of the application of preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody. Further prolonging of custody term is prohibited. In some countries, for instance, in the UK the term of holding in custody can be prolonged to 36 hours according to the resolution of senior police officer and according to the order of Justice of the Peace (who usually does not have a juridical education) two times to the term of not more than 36 hours. In France the term of custody, which accounts for 48 hours can be prolonged by the judge by preliminary decision to another term of not more than four days.

The sixth procedural guarantee is the opportunity to appeal against the decision of judge on applying the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody or rejecting it. The law envisages that the decision of judge can be appealed against through the court, which had made the decision within 72 hours from the day of decision. It should be noted that appeal or protesting is the most often seen way of complain or protest in the international practice. Besides, the advantage of appeal is that the participation of culprit in the proceeding is a must.

Certainly, it is again procedural guarantee of ensuring the right for protection and realization of competitive origins of procedure.

Seventh, fixing the time-limits for culprit and suspect be held in custody and procedure of prolonging of the term be is an important guarantee of person’s legal interests. Currently the term of holding in custody during the crime investigations is 3 months. This term can be prolonged by the petition of particular prosecutor to five, seven, nine months and only in extraordinary cases, considering utmost complexity of the investigated case – to one year. It is worth noting that, currently the petition with the request to prolong the term of holding in custody of culprit is presented by the investigator, but in accordance with the new law this right will be passed to the prosecutor. Thereby, the prosecutor’s responsibility for complying with the terms of holding in custody will be strengthened. Hence, according to the new law, in case if it necessary to prolong the term of holding in custody the prosecutor will have to institute a petition on prolonging the term of holding in custody. The prosecutor’s petition is reviewed by the court the same way the petition on applying the preventive punishment in the form of taking into custody is reviewed. Establishing the court’s sanctioning culprit or suspect be held in custody as a preventive punishment and prolonging of the term will allow the judges to reveal and eliminate errors of investigation at the early stages of proceedings and thus prosecutors will be focused only on control functions.

Thus, the implementation of the the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On introducing amendments and addenda to some of legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan with regard to passing the right to issue arrest warrants to courts”, which envisages introducing of additional control over the preliminary investigation will facilitate the realisation of the principal of equal procedural opportunities of sides and practically strengthen all the other principals of fair court including independence and impartiality of court, presumption of innocence, as well as the right of culprit for the effective assistance of lawyer.
 

Professor Mirzayusuf Rustambaev,

Doctor of juridical sciences

On July 26, 2007 the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov in the Oqsaroy residence, UzA reported.

President Islam Karimov said relations between two countries are developing.

In the last meeting of Presidents, Islam Karimov and Nursultan Nazarbayev decided to found Kazakh-Uzbek Interstate Coordination Council functioning under the auspices of presidents.

Development Bank of Kazakhstan also opened its office in Uzbekistan.

The sides considered expansion of cooperation and fuller use of the available potential.

Trade turnover between the two countries reached USD 718,6 million in 2006. Last year trade turnover between our countries rose for 40 percent.

About 120 Uzbek-Kazakh joint ventures operate in Uzbekistan, and 100 such ventures operate in Kazakhstan.

At a meeting in the residence Oqsaroy, sides talked about the further developing and strengthening the cooperation between Republic of Uzbekistan and Republic of Kazakhstan.
 

Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov has arrived in the Republic of Uzbekistan with an official visit, UzA reported.

The head of the Kazakh Government met with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyayev to hold talks and sign the bilateral documents.

Besides, the high level guest participated in the work of the Uzbek- Kazakh Interstate Coordination Council functioning under the auspices of presidents Islam Karimov and Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Kazakh and Uzbek ministers of Industry and Trade, Education and Science, Transport and Communications, Environment Protection, and other high level officials participated in the meeting alongside with Prime Ministers of Uzbekistan and Kazakahstan.

Two Prime Ministers also participated in the presentation of the Development Bank of Kazakhstan.
 

A governmental delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Norov arrived in Ashgabat on July 25, 2007, UzReportcom reported.

The programme of the visit envisages that the delegation holds bilateral intergovernmental talks, as well as meetings with the representatives of ministries and agencies of Turkmenistan. On July 26 the guests were accepted by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguli Berdimuhamedov.

The officially visit of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov to Uzbekistan starts on July 26, 2007, UzReportcom reported. In the course of the visit, top-ranked official will meet with the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov and the Prime Minister of the country Shafkat Mirziyoyev.

Mr. I.Karimov is to attend the second meeting of the Interstate Coordination Council of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and the opening of the office of the Kazakhstan Development Bank in Tashkent.
 

This year the number of passengers who flew from Pulkovo airport (Saint Petersburg, Russia) to Uzbekistan increased by 52% compared to 1H 2006, UzReportcom reported. Passenger turnover at the airport has grown substantially.

In the first half of this year, passenger-exchange at the airport made up 2.55 million (up17% against 1H 2006). The number of passengers flying from the airport to the countries of the CIS has increased on average by 20%. In total in the first six months of this year 37,766 landings and taking-offs were made in the air harbor.

Regular flights to the airport in Saint Petersburg are conducted by 34 airline companies – this is the highest number in 75-year history of Pulkovo.
 

Zarubejneftegaz (Russian GazProm's subsidiary) is starting exploratory drilling on the blocs of Ust-Yurt region in Uzbekistan. The first phase of the geological exploratory works envisages the drilling of several tens of exploratory wells on seven blocs.

The agreement between Uzbekistan and the Russian oil company envisages geological exploratory works on Aktum, Kuanish, Agyin, Nasambek, West-Urgin, Akchalak, and Shahpahta blocs, the total area of which exceeds 35,000 sq.m. The total volume of investments in the project for the geological exploratory works is estimated at US$400 million.

The strategy of economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for 2007-2015 will be signed during the official visit of the Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov to Tashkent starting on July 26, 2007 RIA Novosti quoted the Government of Kazakhstan.

The Strategy will determine the main areas of cooperation of the governments of the two countries in the fields of trade, investment and finance, water and energy spheres, transportation and communication, border cooperation, and innovation.

In 2006 the volume of bilateral trade between the countries comprised US$703.8 million, which is nearly the triple of the 2005 result. In January-May of this year the volume of trade has already reached US$525.2 million, the report said.

Currently 96 enterprises fully or partially based on Kazakh investments, including 48 joint ventures, operate on the territory of Uzbekistan. Some 715 small and medium-sized enterprises with Uzbek capital are present in Kazakhstan.

On the morning of 27 July, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan will fly to Samarkand, where he will visit the historical sites of the ancient city. In the evening of the same day, Karim Masimov will depart for Astana.
 

This year the number of prospective students who will take university admission exams in Uzbekistan has reached the record-breaking 350,000, UzReportcom reported.

Meanwhile, the 64 universities and institutes of Uzbekistan have only 51,604 seats to offer.

In the last three years, the universities have expanded their fields of study, added the faculties of ICT, technical service of modern technology, nano-technology, and others.

State universities and institutes will conduct admission exams simultaneously on 1 August.
 

Although the number of Muslims in Korea is comparatively small, the history of Islamic religion in this country dates back to the 9th century. At the same time, Islam is considered to be one of the fastest growing religions in Korea nowadays.

The Korea Islamic Institute now operates in the country, Jahon agency reported. The biggest mosque of the country is the Seoul Central Mosque, which was erected in 1976. It offers sermons both in Korean, English as well as Arabic languages.

Therefore, the fact that Tashkent has been announced by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) as a capital of Islamic culture in 2007 certainly could not but drew interest of Korean Muslims.

On this occasion the correspondent of Jahon agency spoke to the Imam of the Seoul Central Mosque Mr. Suleyman Li Heng-Le who shared his views on the role and significance of Uzbekistan in the history and present days of the Muslim world.

“We were very pleased to hear that the city of Tashkent had been conferred a title of capital of Islamic culture in 2007,” says Mr. Heng-Le. “This recognition is of a significant importance not only for the Muslim countries, but also the entire world. As we know, Uzbekistan is considered to be one of the cradles of the world civilization, as well as the Muslim culture.

I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate the Uzbek people on this noble event. I am sure that Uzbekistan will achieve much more in preserving and restoring the monuments of the Muslim civilization, which is of a great significance for each and every Muslim.

Many great scientists and statesmen, who profoundly contributed to the development of Islamic religion and the world civilization are the natives of the ancient Uzbek soil. Among them we mention with a special respect Imam al-Bukhariy, Imam at-Termiziy and other prominent statesmen.

The invaluable treasure of Islamic culture – the Koran of Osman is preserved in Uzbekistan.

I know that multinational Uzbekistan enjoys religious tolerance and peace. And this is certainly the biggest achievement of your country,” Mr. Heng-Le concluded.
 

The roundtable “The civil society in Central Asia” was held at the University of Tsukuba, Japan, Akmal Kuchkarov of Jahon agency reported from Tokyo, Japan.

The research fellows at the Uzbekistan Institute for Studying the Civil Society, University of Tsukuba as well as the representatives of academic circles of Japan, the United States and the Kyrgyz Republic took part in the event, according to the report.

The professors and lecturers from the leading Japanese, American and Kyrgyz universities are reported to have spoken at the roundtable. As the speakers have said the adoption of the Constitutional Law “On strengthening the role of political parties in the renewal and further democratization of state governance and modernization of country” initiated by President Islam Karimov had become a tangible stimulus in enhancing the democratic reforms in Uzbekistan.

The speakers have also noted the significance of creation of the legal basis of activities of civil society institutes, and in particular, the adoption of several laws on the rights and guarantees of activity of local self governance institutions, public funds and trade unions.
 

An article entitled “The capital of Islamic Culture” has been published in the July issue of the Iranian monthly “Hamshahri Diplomatic”. The magazine story is dedicated to the announcement of Tashkent a capital of Islamic Culture in 2007 by ISESCO, Jahon agency reported. The “Hamshahri Diplomatic” is one of the celebrated magazines in Iran and enjoys the broad popularity in social, political and academic circles in this country. The magazine is circulated in 30,000 copies.

The author of the article, Professor at the Tehran University Bahrom Amirahmadiyon wrote that “the choice of Tashkent as the capital of Islamic Culture in 2007 is reasoned by high strategic, political, economic, historical and cultural status of the city in region”.

In this, the Iranian scholar has especially underscored that “none of other capital cities in the Central Asian region cannot match with Tashkent o­n its age, as well as cultural and historical development”.

The capital of Uzbekistan situated along the Great Silk Road on the crossroads, which unites the East and West, has historically played a significant role in the spread of religious, enlightenment and cultural ideas in Asia and Europe. The academic institutions in various countries are fully recognizing the contribution of Tashkent to the development of the world civilization and Islamic culture.

Tashkent is one of the few cities in the world, where the Islamic sacred places and relics are kept. The Koran of Osman honored in the whole Muslim world is now placed at the “Khazrati Imom” Congregational Mosque.

According to the Iranian scholar, all these factors objectively promoted the decision of ISESCO to announce Tashkent as a capital of Islamic Culture in 2007.

The “Hamshahri Diplomatic” magazine wrote that the Uzbek people both equally and carefully treat the heritage not only of Islam, but also the Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Buddhism.

The Islamic world highly assesses the efforts of the Uzbek leadership aimed at reviving the spiritual and historical values of the Uzbek people and preserving the rich and various cultural heritages for the forthcoming generations, the magazine also wrote.
 

The Boeing-757 made first flight on the route Karshi-Moscow, UzA reported.

New route is a result effort of Uzbekistan Airways National Company. The flights will be executed on a Boeing-757 planes.

Uzbekistan Airways have thoroughly prepared for the opening of this route.
 

The International Rating Agency “Expert RA” has awarded the National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity of the Republic of Uzbekistan a high-level credit rating – an “A” Class, the Uzbek news agencies reported. The participants of the news conference organized o­n such occasion have said that profound and consistent reforms, which are now underway in Uzbekistan led by Uzbek leadership on further development the banking and financial system render expected results.

The “Expert RA” is one of the largest international organizations, which is engaged in the research of activities of banks in the CIS countries. The way it has rated the Uzbek bank as such is another recognition of the high status of the banking and financial system of Uzbekistan in the international scale.

According to the First Deputy Chairman of Board of the National Bank for Foreign Economy Activity of Uzbekistan Mekhriddin Abdullaev, at the moment Uzbekistan has established broad cooperation with about 700 foreign financial establishments such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Eximbank of the Republic of Korea, Chinese Development Bank, as well as the Russian “Vneshekonombank” and “Vneshtorgbank”.

The mutual beneficial partnership with the prestigious world credit and financial establishments will promote further development of the banking and financial system and expansion of its opportunities in the country in the days to come.
 

The head of the Mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the European Communities Isan Mustafaev granted credentials to the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, Jahon agency reported.

Following the official ceremony, the sides have discussed the state and prospects of bilateral relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and European Union.

President of the European Commission said that the EU has been interested in further developing and strengthening cooperation with Uzbekistan in the area of politics, economy and security within the framework of bilateral and regional projects.
 

In Uzbekistan under the leadership of President Islam Karimov along with all types of sports a profound attention is now paid to the development of Kurash (Wrestling). A number of fans of Kurash has been on the rise around the world day by day, according to the report by UzA.

According to the press-service of the International Kurash Association, presentation of Kurash has been held in Algiers in the African Games.

More than 40 representatives of the Olympics Committee and citizens of the country have participated in it. The wrestlers from a number of states of the African continent got acquainted with the rules, techniques and tactics of Kurash. Then film “Kurash” which told about the homeland of Kurash – Uzbekistan was demonstrated to the participants of the event.

The International Kurash Association rewarded the president of the African Olympic Association and honorable president of the African confederation of Kurash Lasanno Palenfo a gold order for his worthy contribution to the development of this type of sports at the continent.
 

The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan held a session on July 18, 2007 to consider the results of the country’s socioeconomic development in the first half of the year, UzA reported. Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired the session.

Foreign investments in the country’s economy also increased.

Foreign economic activities received a major boost, exports increased and foreign trade and payment balances strengthened.

Reforms in agriculture are continuing, and farmers currently produce the major part of the agricultural products in Uzbekistan. Owing to systemic implementation of the complex programs, employment and the quality of living have increased.

Reforms in the housing and communal sector and housing construction, as well programs to develop light industry and construction materials industry continued.

At the same time, it was underlined at the session that further actions had to be taken to support private entrepreneurs, improve tax administration, reduce tax burden and develop competition.

A number of important objects were continued, including part of the Tashguzar-Baysun-Qumqurgan railway line, as well as new production in various industries.

Uzbekistan’s GDP increased by 9.7% in the first six months of 2007, it was said at the session. Industrial production grew by 11,6%, agricultural production by 5.5%, construction sector by 20.5%, retail turnover by 16.8% and paid services by 25.1%.

State budget surplus made up 1.9% in the first half, while inflation comprised 2.7%, which was within the forecast.

Foreign trade was growing at high pace, with exports increasing by 39 %. Positive foreign trade balance made up about USD 1700 million.

The volume of used foreign investments increased by 40.2%, and foreign direct investments grew by 1,9 times.

154 large infrastructure and industrial objects were commissioned in the reporting period, including 30 textile and light industry enterprises.

Production in small and medium business sector also showed high growth, leading to increase of the SME share in GDP to 38.1%.

The share of the service sector in GDP reached 43.5%.

About 314,800 new workplaces were created in the first half of 2007.

Almost 44,000 low-income and large families were provided with cattle.

2049 workplaces for the disabled were created, and 40,2 thousand received employment at home.
 

Uzbek-Afghan intergovernmental commission for trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation held its session on July 18, 2007 in Tashkent, UzA reported. The delegation of Afghan businessmen was headed by Mir Amin Muhammad Farkhang, Minister of Commerce and Industry.

The commission co-chairman from the Uzbek side, Vice Prime Minister N.Khanov, said Uzbekistan was greatly interested in expanding trade-economic with Afghanistan.

Uzbek-Afghan trade turnover increased for 55,2 since last year.

At the session, the sides discussed issues of increasing trade turnover and diversification of trade.

However, it was said at the session, the figures could be higher if all of the available potential was used.

During the session the sides also discussed the projects on developing the economic relation between two countries, such as developing transport communications, agriculture, tourism, oil and gas processing, and others.

The Minister from Afghanistan also visited the grand Khazrati Imam Mosque, Barokkhon Madrassah, the place of veneration of Muyi Muborak, the new building of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.

The delegation has also observed the unique manuscript Koran, mostly known as the Usman Koran in the Muslim world.

They have underscored that construction of such buildings is practical result of the works under way in Uzbekistan in securing the tolerance, upbringing the youth in the spirit of respect to national values.

International Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), which is one of the Islamic Conference Organization’s structures, has named Tashkent a world capital of Islamic culture in 2007.

Tashkent has been honored to receive such high and honorable rank thanks to the outstanding merits of Uzbekistan before the Islamic culture and science, preservation of monuments and further enrichment of Islamic heritage.

In its choice the ISESCO has taken into consideration, above all, the policies of Uzbekistan’s Leadership aimed at reviving the cultural and spiritual values of Uzbek people, as well as the measures taken by the Government of Uzbekistan to protect and carefully preserve the monuments of Islamic civilization.