INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN #67

April 6, 2017

BUSINESS CLIMATE
Uzbekistan has approved new measures to expand access to preferential micro loans for business entities and the general public

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Condolences to President of Colombia

MEETING OF CIS COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS
Meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan

Meeting with the Chairman of the Executive Committee - Executive Secretary of the CIS

Meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of Moldova

Meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan

On Conciliation Meeting for the CIS Council of MFA

On arrival of delegations of CIS CMFA

BUSINESS CLIMATE

Uzbekistan has approved new measures to expand access to preferential micro loans for business entities and the general public
From now and on, a simplified mechanism of allocation of micro loans to newly registered individual entrepreneurs and family business representatives without the establishment of legal entity will be introduced throughout the country.
"The new mechanism provides for the issuance of micro loans for them in the amount of up to 20 times the minimum wage with the adoption of collateral for the goods needed for running business," the document says.
In addition, according to the measures approved by the head of state, it is planned to expand the practice of allocating micro loans for entrepreneurial activities in the amount of up to 60 times the minimum wage pursuant to guarantees of citizens’ self-government bodies.
Among other things, the newly registered individual entrepreneurs and family business entities will be exempt by January 1, 2021, from fixed tax for a period of six months upon registration of micro loans.
There is another positive point: commercial banks will issue loans from the Preferential Lending Fund in the amount of up to 100 times the minimum wage for newly registered small business entities in remote and hard-to-reach regions, as well as areas with excessive labor resources. Experts anticipate that these measures will help increase employment through stimulation of individual labor activity.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Condolences to President of Colombia
The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed sincere condolences to the President of the Republic of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos Calderon due to the human victims and destructions caused by the large-scale natural disasters in the province of Putumayo.
In his message, the Head of Uzbekistan conveyed the words of sympathy and support to the whole Colombian nation, as well as families and relatives of those died, and injured.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

MEETING OF CIS COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS

Meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan
On April 6, 2017 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Sirodjidin Aslov, who arrived in Uzbekistan to attend the regular meeting of heads of foreign political agencies of CIS member countries.
The parties discussed the current state and prospective directions of Uzbek-Tajik relations, including within the framework of the CIS, and exchanged views on certain international and regional issues.
Ambassador of Tajikistan Sodiq Imomi attended the meeting.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Meeting with the Chairman of the Executive Committee - Executive Secretary of the CIS
On April 6, 2017, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov met with the Chairman of the Executive Committee – Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergey Lebedev, who arrived in Tashkent to attend the regular meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers.
During the conversation, the parties discussed the agenda and other working issues of the upcoming meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS member countries that is to be held on April 7.
The sides exchanged views on practical aspects of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the CIS.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of Moldova
On April 6, 2017, a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Lilian Darii, who represents Moldova at the regular meeting of the CIS Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Tashkent, has been held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
During the meeting, the state and prospects of bilateral relations in different spheres were discussed.
The parties emphasized mutual interest in intensifying collaboration in political, trade and economic spheres, further developing cultural and humanitarian exchanges and strengthening traditional ties of our nations.
During the conversation the sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan
On April 6, 2017, a meeting with the delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Khalaf Khalafov, who arrived in Tashkent to attend the regular meeting of the CIS Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, has been held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The parties discussed the current state and prospects of Uzbek-Azerbaijani relations in political, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian and other spheres of mutual interest.
Special attention was paid to the collaboration within the framework of the international and regional organizations such as UN and CIS.
The parties confirmed mutual interest in further fostering the cooperation, first of all, in the realm of trade and economy. They spoke for intensification of contacts of business circles of the two countries and diversification of nomenclature of mutually delivered products.
Ambassador of Azerbaijan Huseyn Guliev attended the negotiations.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

On Conciliation Meeting for the CIS Council of MFA
On April 6, 2017 in Tashkent, a Conciliatory meeting of plenipotentiaries of states, participating in the next meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS member states that opens on April 7.
During the meeting, which was chaired by the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CIS states – Executive Secretary Sergey Lebedev, a draft agenda of the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, as well as, practical issues of participation of delegations in the events of the ministerial meeting were discussed.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

On arrival of delegations of CIS CMFA
On April 6, 2017, the CIS member states delegations headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Makei, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Erlan Abdyldaev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Sirodjidin Aslov, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova Lilian Darii, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Vepa Hadjiev and the Chairman of the Executive Committee – Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergey Lebedev have arrived in Tashkent to attend the Council of Foreign Ministers of CIS.
During the meeting of the CIS Council of foreign ministers that opens on April 7, it is planned to discuss 16 issues concerning multilateral cooperation of the member states in strengthening regional security and stability, deepening trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation and ensuring sustainable development.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

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