INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 58

March 24, 2017

STATE VISIT OF PRESIDENT OF UZBEKISTAN TO KAZAKHSTAN
Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan: a new stage of cooperation based on historical friendship and strategic partnership

BUSINESS CLIMATE
Uzbekistan to simplify micro-lending to entrepreneurs

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
On the Uzbek-Indian political consultations

THEATRE
‘Enchanted by You’ Remake on the Stage

STATE VISIT OF PRESIDENT OF UZBEKISTAN TO KAZAKHSTAN

Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan: a new stage of cooperation based on historical friendship and strategic partnership
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid a state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan on 22-23 March 2017 at the invitation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
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President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has laid flowers to the Motherland defenders monument in Astana on 23 March.
This monument was erected in 2001 at the initiative of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to the memory of Motherland defenders from Kazakhstan, who passed away in the Second World War.
The Head of our state paid a tribute of respect to the memory of the devoted patriots, who sacrificed their lives for peace and freedom of their country.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev has planted a tree at the Alley of heads of state in the capital of Kazakhstan. A tree, planted by the First President of our country Islam Karimov, also grows here.
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The Akorda residence hosted an official meeting ceremony of the President of our country. A guard of honor was lined up for the high-level guest. The national anthems of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were played. Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Nursultan Nazarbayev reviewed the guard.
During negotiations in a narrow format, the issues of further developing cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, enhancing peace and security, have been discussed. The parties exchanged views on regional and international matters of mutual interest.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that the good neighborliness, partnership ties between our countries have been steadily consolidating.
– Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are close neighbors, time-tested partners. This was particularly demonstrated in a difficult period for us, after the death of First President Islam Karimov, when the Kazakh people shared with us the bitterness of the loss and morally supported us, which the Uzbek people will never forget. The cooperation between our countries have been developing based on high trust and mutual respect. The reinvigoration of ties at different levels are a confirmation of interest of our countries in enhancing the multi-faceted relations, President of Uzbekistan said.
Nursultan Nazarbayev, welcoming Shavkat Mirziyoyev, underlined that this state visit is a logical continuation of the dialogue at the highest level and a good opportunity to discuss the issues of mutual interest.
– It is symbolic that your visit coincided with the Navruz holiday. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan always have had friendship and constructive relations. Together we will continue a close cooperation, to which First President of Uzbekistan, my dear friend Islam Karimov, made a great contribution. This is corroborated by the fact that in the last five months the mutual trade turnover between our countries increased by 30 per cent, supplies of new products to our markets have commenced. During the business forum, held within the frameworks of your visit, agreements for almost 1 billion US dollars have been reached. Your historical visit will become a new phase of cooperation of our countries, President of Kazakhstan remarked.
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Following the Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan negotiations, 13 inter-state, intergovernmental and interagency documents have been signed.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a Joint declaration on further deepening strategic partnership and strengthening good neighborhood ties between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Furthermore, documents on cooperation in the sphere of parliamentary links, taxation, defense, trade, industry and others have been inked.
The Strategy of economic cooperation for 2017-2019 and the Agreement on interregional cooperation have a specific significance among them.
During the meeting with the representatives of mass media, Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Nursultan Nazarbayev have underlined that the negotiations took place in the spirit of a mutual respect and candor, inherent to Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan relations. It was noted that this visit will have a historical significance for the bilateral cooperation, the signed documents will serve the interests of the people of our countries.
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President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan continued the talks in an extended format with the official delegations.
The current state and prospects of further developing cooperation in political, trade-economic, investment, transport-communications, cultural-humanitarian and other spheres have been discussed, the parties have exchanged opinions on regional and international issues.
The relations between our countries have been steadily developing based on the Treaty on eternal friendship between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan, signed in 1998 in Tashkent, and the Treaty on strategic partnership between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan, signed in 2013.
Our countries support each other on the issues of international politics, effectively collaborate within the frameworks of such organisations as the UN, SCO, CIS, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, International Fund for saving the Aral Sea. The positions of the parties on many issues of global and regional significance are close or similar.
Uzbekistan supported the election of Kazakhstan as a temporary member of the UN Security Council for 2017-2018. This will allow to protect the interests of the countries of our region on an international arena. Kazakhstan supported the initiative of Uzbekistan on creating nuclear-weapons-free zone in Central Asia, highly values the foreign policy of our country, based on the principles of non-alignment with any military-political blocs, peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan started the path of independent development concurrently. Our countries support each other in modernizing and developing the economies.
Today both countries are entering a new phase of their development. An Action Strategy on further developing the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 was adopted at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. In his address to the people of Kazakhstan, President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced the start of the third phase of modernization of Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan is one of the key partners of our country in the trade-economic sphere. Uzbekistan exports natural gas, cars, transport vehicles, mineral fertilizers, textiles, electronics, fruits and vegetables, construction materials and other different goods and services. Oil, metals, flour and fat and oil products are imported from Kazakhstan.
Approximately 230 companies with capital from Kazakhstan operate in our country and over 130 companies, established in cooperation with businesspeople from Uzbekistan, in Kazakhstan.
In 2016 the volume of trade turnover between our countries reached 2 billion US dollars. It was underscored that this indicator, however, does not correspond to the existing potential of the two countries and there are grounds to increase the turnover, at least, twice. The economies of our countries do not compete, on the contrary, they complement each other. It was highlighted that it is necessary to reinvigorate the activity of inter-governmental commission and joint trading houses, organize new sales markets.
The sphere of transport communications is one of the priority areas of our partnership. Road and railway lines of our countries are mutually integrated. This important communications network also carries out transit functions for third countries.
Opening of the road, passing through the territory of Maktaaral district of Kazakhstan and linking Tashkent and Samarkand, the launch of the Tashkent-Almaty fast-speed train and bus routes between cities of the two countries will strengthen our transport links, serve to develop inter-regional contacts, trade and tourism.
The negotiations, held in the atmosphere of openness and mutual understanding, have determined the prospects of further developing cooperation between our countries. The issues of diversifying trade-economic ties, while maintaining their dynamics, enhancing the volume and assortment of export-imports, developing cooperation between business and industrial entities have been discussed.
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The President of Uzbekistan, accompanied by the President of Kazakhstan, visited Nazarbayev University and the MEGA Silk Way shopping and entertainment centre.
The University, which admitted first students in 2010, consists of 8 schools, a centre and a library. Education here is conducted in line with international standards. Over 440 undergraduates and over 170 master’s degree students graduate the university each year.
The Head of our state left a note in Honorary guests’ book.
The MEGA Silk Way shopping and entertainment centre has shops, sports and entertainment facilities, office space. The Centre is an important part of the architectural complex, which will host Expo 2017 international exhibition from 10 June to 10 August.
A concert program with songs and dances of the Uzbek and Kazakh people was held at the centre, national handicraft products were exhibited.
The Presidents visited the Nur alem pavilion, located in the area of Expo-2017 international exhibition.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev underlined that Expo 2017 specialised international exhibition will be a significant event, supporting further widening of cooperation, conclusion of prospective agreements between the business circles and enterprises of our countries.
A National industrial exhibition of Uzbekistan and a joint business forum of representatives of business circles of the two countries was organized in Astana within the framework of the visit.
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev accompanied President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the airport.
(Source: UzA)

BUSINESS CLIMATE

Uzbekistan to simplify micro-lending to entrepreneurs
On March 17, 2017, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree "On measures for further simplification of the system of micro-lending to businesses and the wider population", aimed at ensuring broad access to preferential micro-loans.
The decree provides for the introduction of a simplified mechanism for granting micro-loans to newly registered individual entrepreneurs (IE) and family business entities (FBE) without forming a legal entity in the amount of up to 20 times of the minimum wage, taking goods to be acquired to pursue entrepreneurial activities under pledge.
(Source: UzReport.uz)

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

On the Uzbek-Indian political consultations
On March 23, 2017, the thirteenth round of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of India was held in Delhi.
The Indian delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Preeti Saran.
The sides conducted a detailed review of the state of bilateral relations in the political, trade-economic, cultural and humanitarian and other fields, as well as cooperation in the formats of the UN, the SCO and other international organizations, and exchanged views on international and regional issues.
It was noted that the both sides attach great importance to the development of multifaceted interaction and they are interested in continuing regular dialogue at various levels. This is confirmed in the congratulatory messages of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of India Pranab Mukherjee, which were exchanged on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries.
The sides expressed confidence that holding the 11th meeting of the Uzbek-Indian Intergovernmental Commission on trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation within the agreed time in Tashkent will facilitate the expansion of mutually beneficial trade, the implementation of joint production projects, including in the territories of economic zones of Uzbekistan, which provide foreign investors with significant customs and tax benefits.
The Uzbek delegation, at the request of Indian colleagues, acquainted them with the main provisions of the Action Strategy adopted by the President of Uzbekistan on five priority directions on development of the country in 2017-2021, implementation of which representatives of India can take part in.
During the consultations, the diplomats also considered other topical issues of mutual interest.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

THEATRE

‘Enchanted by You’ Remake on the Stage
The State Theater of Musical Comedy of Uzbekistan has premiered the play ‘Maftuningman’ (‘Enchanted by You’). The director Gulruh Najidova managed to reflect in it not only the national identity of the Uzbek people, but also the realities of the life of the 21st century.
The creators of the new production studied the existing material, the first film comedy in Uzbekistan ‘Enchanted by You.’ The plot remained the same, with the exception of its adaptation to the modern style.
According to the script, the casting is taking place of actors for the main roles, but now for a new musical remake of the film. To this end, experienced director, whose role was performed by Valery Yuldashev, with his young assistant is looking for young talents throughout the republic, and finds them in a rather unusual way. The casting is attended by Ali - the make-up artist, more precisely, the hairdresser in the third generation, who has a fairly good vocal guns. He is accompanied by no less talented assembler Abdulla. Here also comes a worthless young lady who wants to get into the film through acquaintances, as well as cleaning specialist Masha - a conservatory student.
“This film was widely known in Uzbekistan and far beyond its borders. The director and the cast were well known in every house, in every community. I wanted this work to be preserved as our heritage not only in the film format, but also as a stage production,” Gulruh Najidova shared. “Perhaps, older viewers will experience a feeling of nostalgia, having heard familiar melodies and songs, and the younger generation will reflect, after seeing a vivid representation of the actual problems on the stage. Here is a conflict of two generations, two different forms of thinking. Characters often fall into a situation of conflict of interests, but learn to cooperate in the name of a common cause.”
The play will not make anyone bored, because, in addition to the acting scenes, it is filled with spectacular dance and vocal numbers, ballet and modern productions. For example, a specific Karakalpak dance was presented in the film. The director Gulruh Najidova went further and offered to perform a medley of national dances of the regions of the republic, resulting in a bright, incendiary dance.
The orchestra under the direction of the musical director B. Rasulov tried to bring the audience closer to the favorite melodies from the film.
Numerous spectators were delighted with the beautiful play of actors, heartfelt music and wonderful dances, so the artists were presented with a generous ovation.
(Source: IA «Uzbekistan Today»)

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