zbek President Islam Karimov has outlined six priorities which he said must be tackled to ensure children grow up healthy in Uzbekistan. Addressing the commission for supervising the implementation of the For a Healthier Generation state programme at the presidential residence outside the capital on 24th February, Karimov said girls have a poor upbringing and are not prepared for becoming mothers, infant mortality should be tackled and there should be better healthcare for new mothers, the education of pre-school children should be improved, handicapped children should be able to live full lives and implied that marriages between family members should be discouraged. The following is the text of the report by Uzbek TV on 24th February:

[Presenter] Uzbek President Islam Karimov met the republican commission for coordinating the work of and supervising the implementation of the Soghlom Avlod Uchun [For a Healthier Generation] state programme at the Oq Saroy [presidential] residence.

[Correspondent, over video of Karimov-chaired meeting] As is known, on 5th February our head of state declared the year 2000 the Year of a Healthy Generation. A state programme entitled "Soghlom Avlod" was drawn up in this connection and a special commission set up to implement it.

During the meeting, the leader of Uzbekistan, who once said our children had to be stronger, cleverer and, without fail, happier than us, put forth substantial and specific proposals on how to achieve the set goals, what should be done in order that our general assurance that children are the essence of our lives should not sound like a mere declaration.

For this to happen, all the points of the state programme must be clear. There is, Islam Karimov believes, a need to make specific people more responsible and to create a working system of training. What is at issue here is not merely education, but the comprehensive upbringing of children, enhancing their parents' culture, and improving the quality of the health service. Addressing the participants in the meeting, the head of state specified six priority areas.

[Karimov, shown speaking to the meeting] I specified the first area as follows:

Educating children during school studies and training future parents, especially girls. The upbringing of girls is poor. I would not be even a little mistaken in saying that we have no educational programme in schools and educational establishments.

The second issue: We all say that starting a family with one's relative will create unhealthy circumstances, or rather [an unhealthy] basis, for the birth of one's child. As a rule, unhealthy, or even worse, handicapped children are born [as a result of such a marriage]. We all know about this. I ask a question of myself: what kind of action have we taken to prevent this, what specific measures have we taken? Within public morality, I repeat, we cannot overstep the limits of public morality, the limits of public norms and eventually legislation. However, at the same time, why not take an interest in a marriage when it is registered. If we want to bring up a healthy generation, we must resort to certain methods to ensure public safety. An unhealthy child, a handicapped child is a misfortune to his family, the greatest misfortune.

The third issue: A girl becomes a mother, or rather, she is preparing to be a mother and she is pregnant. This is also a complete area. I ask myself a question: what has been done in Uzbekistan in terms of looking after would-be mothers, what has been done? The service in which health workers make visits to pregnant women's homes is absolutely failing to work and is operating unsystematically. Nobody monitors this service.

The fourth issue: A child is born. The purpose of statistics is to use them. Take infant mortality for children under one year old. This is the most dangerous age group. From this point of view, this area needs special attention. Should we not think about creating a system? What has being done purposefully in our republic, in order not just to decrease the mortality rate - in terms of how a child under one years old is being cared for, what kind of conditions have been created to support his life. Are you sure that the neccessary mass vaccination is given to all children under one year old in Uzbekistan? Can you give me a guarantee that this is the case? Frankly. No, you cannot.

The fifth area: A child in the age group from one to five or six years old. This is a long period of time. I would like to say one thing in Russian. There is a saying, or rather it is proven that it is at the age of between one and five or six years old that a person gets 50 per cent of the information he receives during the whole of his life. Seriously, it is what doctors and scientists write. I am not going to try to prove it, but there is such an assumption. Let us explain this assumption to every parent through the TV, the press, and training, by saying: you have given birth to a child, and you have two children under five or six years old. They must be receiving 50 per cent of the information they will get their whole life at that age. Will they not work on their children, then? Who, do you think, is engaged in bringing up a child? The kindergartens we used to have, have been cut in numbers and transformed into some entrepreneurial structures. They are said not to have been profitable. What do we lose? Who is thinking about this?

The sixth field: Children born with a disease. I do not say they are orphans, but they are born handicapped for some reason. They are people too and need or want to live a full life. They may not be able to live the life an able-bodied person lives, but the government's culture and its level of spirituality becomes known through its treatment of the handicapped. This should also be explained to everyone. Some kind of mass action began only last year where people visit the handicapped and demonstrate that visitors come to see children. This is good. But this has to become systematic.

I have just specified all these six areas which, in my view, are very important and each of them is individually significant.

mplementing the defence doctrine "is the patriotic duty and a point of honour for every citizen of our land". The defence doctrine was discussed at a National Security Council meeting chaired by Uzbek President Islam Karimov on 3rd February. The doctrine is aimed at boosting security, increasing the defence capacity and strengthening the armed forces in order to combat internal and external threats to security and to prevent the expansion of drug trafficking. It embraces the liberalization of the economy, the deepening of economic reforms, promoting peace and stability, national values and spiritual and intellectual development. It also proposes military cooperation with the USA, the EU, Japan, China and NATO. The following are excerpts from an article about the defence doctrine published in the Uzbek newspaper 'Vatanparvar' on 22nd February.

The National Security Council under the president of the Republic of Uzbekistan held another sitting on 3rd February 2000. The meeting was chaired by the country's president, the chairman of the National Security Council, Islam Karimov. The meeting considered the topical issues of organizing the armed forces, reforms in the armed forces and the formation of a qualitatively new defence system and also discussed and approved the defence doctrine of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

When speaking about the importance of this event of national significance, it must be noted that it did not take place by itself, spontaneously, but was the outcome of a thorough analysis of the current processes in the world, the region and the country, and the military and political situation developing in Central Asia. The fundamental conclusions drawn by the first Supreme Assembly session of the Republic of Uzbekistan and mentioned in the speech by President Karimov on national security issues were reflected in practice in the specific decisions taken by the Uzbek president's National Security Council.

What is the reason for such close attention being paid to national security issues and for the adoption of a defence doctrine? First of all, there is a need to ensure peaceful living conditions for society, to further deepen democratic transformations in the country and implement programmes and priorities for the development of socio-economic reforms.

In recent years it is important and obvious that the Central Asian region, occupying a special geopolitical place in the modern world, has become a target for the criminal ambitions of radical extremist forces and saboteur and subversive centres eager to expand international terrorism, religious extremism and fanaticism and drive the countries of the region off the chosen path towards democratic development.

A serious threat to security, both in the region and throughout the world is posed by the illegal circulation of arms and the expansion of the scale of drug trafficking. In these circumstances, the most important task of the state is to strengthen the country's security, increase its defence capacity and fully strengthen the armed forces.

Any state's defence capability is made up of material and spiritual aspects and is a combination of many potentials - military, economic, scientific and moral and political. It directly depends on the state and the development of the country's economy, the sociopolitical and cultural development of society. The materials of the first Supreme Assembly session and the resolution of the Uzbek president's Interdepartmental Coordination Council for Reforms and Investments essentially formed the basis of the documents adopted by the National Security Council and, in part, the defence doctrine of the Republic of Uzbekistan. What is that basis?

In the sphere of the economy its [defence doctrine's] priorities are to further deepen economic reforms and liberalize the economy, to reliably ensure the country's independence, to form and develop economic and military potentials as necessary elements of the state's strength. This task is solved on the basis of the all-round harmonious development of all sectors of the economy, its basic branches, small and medium private businesses, as well as restructuring the economy, the introduction of modern technologies, the development of the country's export potential and general improvement of the market infrastructure.

In the sociopolitical sphere its priorities are peace and stability, civil and interethnic accord, mutual understanding and friendship, consistent expansion of the legal basis for the protection of the interests of entrepreneurs and foreign investors, protection of citizens' rights and freedoms, their honour and dignity, security of them and their property. These tasks are solved on the basis of laws, their further improvement, strict enforcement of law and order in the country.

In the spiritual sphere, it is to persistently continue to restore national values, achieve profound self-awareness, to ensure the spiritual and intellectual development and self-expression of the individual, to form a political and law-based culture, to increase political and social activity through the all-round development and improvement of the entire system of education based on patriotism, the instilling in young people of love for the homeland and an independent Motherland, for its history, culture and legacy of great ancestors. The formation and establishment throughout society of the need for great vigilance and readiness to defend the independent Motherland at any moment.

In the international sphere it is to develop close military, political and economic cooperation with the world's leading countries - the USA, the countries of the European Union, Japan, China, Turkey and the countries of the Central Asian community. It is to rely on military and political cooperation within the CIS and to play an active part in NATO's Partnership for Peace programme.

In the military sphere, its priorities are: to form mobile, self-sufficient, well-equipped and professionally well-trained armed forces meeting the highest requirements, able to efficiently and reliably defend peace and calm in our country. To form modern, well-trained, highly mobile border and interior forces.To create a flexible system of cooperation among all types and kinds of troops, military units and power structures of the state.

Based on the principles of the National Security Concept and an analysis of the threats posed to the country's and the region's peace and security, the defence doctrine identifies the major principles, tasks and directions in organizing the armed forces, ways of ensuring the reliable defence and protection of the country's territorial integrity.

It should be noted that the defence doctrine outlined by the republican leadership is purely defensive in nature and displays the peaceful policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The defence doctrine determines the role and responsibilities of the ministries and departments, state and nonstate organizations and institutions in ensuring the country's defence capability. The realization of the provisions of the defence doctrine is a patriotic duty and a point of honour for every citizen of our land.

At the same time, we do not solve our defence security questions solely and we not only care about own security. Proceeding from the principle of the indivisibility of security, we are doing everything to strengthen cooperation and coordination work among the countries of the region, to combine efforts in the fight against internal and external threats and achieve lasting peace and stability throughout Central Asia.

It is worth mentioning the special role of the armed forces in solving defence security issues. Defence security is best embodied in the armed forces. Meeting the requirements of defence security and, accordingly, of the defence doctrine, is a real manifestation of the armed forces ability to fulfil the tasks set by the country's political leadership.

draft document on trade and economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in 2000 was agreed at a meeting of the Turkmen-Uzbek intergovernmental economic commission. The meeting in Ashkhabad was attended by Uzbekistan's government delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Yunusov. The constructive dialogue held between the sides demonstrated the similarity of their intention to further improve the mechanism of mutual economic relations by upgrading them up to world norms and by offering each other the status of most favourable nation in trade and other partnership spheres. The meeting also noted the positive impact on mutual cooperation by the leaders of the two countries, presidents Saparmurat Niyazov and Islam Karimov.

Most efficient cooperation is being observed in the use of transport facilities, Yunusov noted. Uzbek suppliers are widely using Turkmen railway transit facilities to export their goods and Uzbek power transmission facilities are being used to carry Turkmen electricity. A number of proposals were made at the meeting on expanding fruitful cooperation in various sectors of the economy.

zbek President Islam Karimov told the newly-appointed governor of the southern Uzbek Region of Syrdarya on 22nd February that he had to work to win the people's confidence and that all leaders should "never forget that his heart should be pure and his hands clean". Karimov's proposed candidate, the governor of Zafarabad District in Dzhizak Region, Alisher Isroilov, was endorsed in the post at a sitting of the Syrdarya Regional council of people's deputies the same day. Karimov told the sitting that land improvement work in the Region was in a "deplorable" state and that a great deal of work had to be done to raise agricultural yields and develop the infrastructure in the Region. The former governor of the Region, Oktam Ismoilov, was apponted deputy prime minister at the last sitting of parliament. The following are excerpts from report by Uzbek TV on 22nd February.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov made a speech at the session. [President Islam Karimov] Good afternoon dear compatriots, respected deputies. Above all, I would like to say that I am glad to see you, Regional deputies. Let me express my respect to you and through you to all Syrdarya people. Elections to our country's Supreme Assembly [parliament] and to local councils of people's deputies were held in our republic recently.

Dear deputies, during the election campaign last December we had a meeting here, in the course of which we made an objective assessment of the work being done in the Region and outlined our future work. On that occasion we spoke about problems which had been tormenting Syrdarya people for a long time, the region's particular problems, problems awaiting solutions in the manufacturing sectors, and about problems hindering the improvement of people's lives in the Region. On that occasion we recognized that the problems which had been long awaiting resolution were agricultural problems, and we noted that agriculture was a priority issue.

What are these problems? I would like to draw your attention to them once more. Above all, we have a deplorable situation as regards land improvement work in the Region, there is the need to change the kinds of agricultural produce cultivated in the region, to upgrade the agriculture's material basis, introduce up-to-date agricultural technologies, and develop the infrastructure in the countryside.

Today we should frankly admit that the region's agricultural situation as a whole has been difficult for many years. Last year 141,300 hectares of land were sown to cotton and 87,300 hectares to grain. Cotton yields in the Region were 18.8 quintals per hectare and grain yields 21 quintals per hectare. It is good that of late we have started paying more attention to grain farming, and that rich lands have been allocated for grain crops. However, we should all be profoundly aware that we must not forget that in the conditions in Uzbekistan it would be better, above all, to cultivate cotton, which has always been in demand on the world market, which has always been a source of hard currency for us, which is profitable for our peasants and promises good fortune for them if this work is properly organized.

[Correspondent] After that our head of state dwelt on the idea of a healthy generation, on instilling the national idea and ideology into the conscience of young people, on the need to preserve our people's healthy faith in our holy religion Islam and to fight religious extremism, as well as on the implementation of the national staff training programme. Islam Karimov also said that all conditions had been created in the region for developing the language and culture of all ethnic groups living in Syrdarya Region. Having noted the need for our work to have at its core giving new meaning and substance to human values such as honouring women and respecting elders, our president said, amongst other things:

[Karimov] I would like to repeat that it would be no mistake to say that Syrdarya Region is a multi-ethnic Region. I can see that many Russians and other nationals live amongst you in the Region. They are content with their lives and are hoping to get something out of life. All of us should understand this. I would like to express my respect for you and my warm feelings.

[Correspondent] After that our president dwelt on the personnel issue on the session agenda. As Oktam Ismoilov has been transferred to another post, he was relieved of his post as governor of Syrdarya Region. Speaking about the candidate for the post of governor of Syrdarya Region, and, in general, about leaders, our head of state said the following:

[Karimov] The man in question is the governor of Zafarabad District of Dzhizak Region, Alisher Isroilov, who has held this post for two and half years. We have decided to nominate this man for the post of the governor of Syrdarya Region. He was born in the town of Dzhizak [currently the administrative centre of Dzhizak Region] in 1964, at that time the town was in Syrdarya Region. I think that many people in the two Regions know his father well, too. For a long period he occupied official posts in Gulistan and Dustlik Districts.

[Correspondent] After that our president proposed giving the floor to the candidate for the post of governor, Alisher Isroilov.

[Isroilov] Above all, Islam Abduganiyevich [Karimov] I would like to express my deep gratitude for your thoughts about me, for remembering my father, for mentioning me as a young man, and for your trust in me. Islam aka [term of respect], in your report about the region, you mentioned great creative work and achievements, as well as all shortcomings in the region. You said that reforms were limping in agriculture, that a class of property owners had not been fully established, that land improvement conditions had worsened and yields had dropped. I think that, if you have trust in us, we, together with the deputies sitting here, activists and the Syrdarya people, all of us together and in one accord will fulfill the tasks set before us. You have showed such great trust [changes tack] You have said to me: if you cannot cope with it you should die. At the recent session you also said that leaders should be ready to give their lives for the people, their interests. Islam Abduganiyevich, if need be, I am ready to give my life for the people, for their prosperity lives.

[Correspondent] After that our president took the floor and gave Alisher Isroilov some advice concerning the latter's new official post.

[Karimov] My first piece of advice is the following. Above all the Syrdarya people should better know the new leader. The new leader should win the people's trust by his deeds. My second piece of advice is that leader should never forget that his heart should be pure and his hands clean.

[Karimov addressing Isroilov] You told me that you will conduct my policy. If you want to conduct my policy, you should, above all, support women. It is not for nothing that I said that paying homage to women and giving them comprehensive respect means valuing the nation and the future generation. When there is a woman there is an accord, there is beauty, there is a striving for good. I am speaking these words, not because I want to gain women's support. If this policy is a priority in our society then we will gain an advantage as compared with other nations.

n February 19, 2000 President Islam Karimov signed a decree on releasing Usmon Hudoyqulov from the position of General Procurator and appointing Rashit Qodirov to this post.

he Ministry of Education of Uzbekistan has drawn up a package of measures aimed at preparing children for school, improving children's and young people's health, organizing their study and leisure times. The new programme, drawn up in connection with the year 2000 having been declared the Year of the Healthy Generation in Uzbekistan, stipulates annual medical examinations of schoolchildren and students and measures to ensure the medical and social rehabilitation of disabled children.

The programme calls for "drawing up and implementing measures to improve work among juveniles to prevent them commiting offences". Gynaecology rooms for girls are to be opened at educational institutions and special teaching programmes on reaching the age of maturity are to be introduced. Measures are to be taken to improve the status of children, youth and women in society and "to free underage girls from heavy physical labour".

The programme also envisages introducing a 10-hour anti-AIDS programme for students of higher educational establishments. Under the new Ministry of Education programme it is also planned to publish a periodical as a textbook supplement entitled "A psychologist's answers to 1001 questions".

he ruling People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (PDPU) organized in Angren in Tashkent Region a meeting on guaranteeing national security which was attended by representatives of special task force police, educationalists, activists of neighbourhoods and other organizations, `Ozbekiston Ovozi' newspaper reported on 22nd February. Those who spoke at the meeting noted that "with the purpose of guaranteeing security, they should unite all efforts and organize more such meetings".

"Particular attention to national security should be paid in the town of Bekabad and Bekabad District. People who live in this area, which borders on the Republic of Tajikistan, know the importance of national security very well," the report said.

It is "natural" that the Tashkent Region council of the PDPU is paying special attention to preserving peace, stability and national security in the country, the report continued. "Issues of reinforcing national security are topical in Angren, Bekabad and Bostanlyk districts of Tashkent Region which border on neighbouring states," the report added.

Efforts to reinforce national security should be united, it said. Neighbourhoods, the media, educational establishments, lawyers and scholars should step up their activity and demonstrate devotion to the motherland, the report said.

number of Tajik enterprises have been brought to a halt following an Uzbek government decision to ban the transit of ethyl spirit via its territory. Since 1998 Uzbek railway customs officials confiscated 1m dollars worth of ethyl alcohol intended for Tajik enterprises, `Sado-i Mardum' newspaper said. It said a letter by the Tajik prime minister to his Uzbek counterpart and special talks on the issue in Tashkent have failed to secure the return of the goods. The newspaper said 260 workers of the Sharob joint-stock company in northern Tajik Leninobod Region have lost their jobs because the company can no longer import spirit. The following are excerpts from the report:

A sizeable quantity of spirit belonging to Tajik enterprises and joint-stock companies and worth 1m dollars has been illegally confiscated by Uzbek railway officers. The Tajik government's efforts to recover the goods have not yielded the desired results. As a result, a number of the Tajik enterprises have suspended business.

The Sharob [Wine] joint-stock company's 160 workers have staged a rally at Leninobod railway station in Bobojon Ghafurov District [northern Leninobod Region], attempting to block the movement of Uzbek trains. Sometimes representatives of certain Uzbek bodies insult our citizens without reason. They illegally confiscate Tajik goods. Competent [Uzbek] government officials ignore proposals to cooperate.

Uzbek railways' customs officers have illegally confiscated dozens of carriages of spirit belonging to Tajik enterprises and joint-stock companies. On 6th April 1998 at the Uzbek Khovos railway station they illegally confiscated 563,499 kg of ethyl alcohol (worth 488,000 dollars) belonging to the Okhun association based in Khujand [centre of Leninobod Region]; on 21st May 1998 at the Uzbek Bukhoro-1 railway station they confiscated 247,648 kg of ethyl alcohol (worth 206,119 dollars) belonging to a wine manufacturing company in Uroteppa District; 52,600 kg of ethyl alcohol belonging to the Shahrinav enterprise were confiscated at the Uzbek (?Chuqursoy) railway station on 15th March 1998; and 1.14m litres of spirit belonging to the Sharob joint-stock company based in Bobojon Ghafurov District were confiscated at the Uzbek Bukhoro railway station on 17th June 1998.

The neighbouring republic's customs officers refer to the Uzbek government's Resolution No 213 dated 15th May 1998, banning the import and transit of ethyl alcohol via Uzbek territory as an excuse for the confiscation of goods. However, the abovementioned consignments of spirit were shipped to Tajikistan before the adoption of the Uzbek government resolution. The railway is not the quickest way to ship goods, of course, and nobody knew about that resolution.

Tajik government officials and heads of enterprises, associations and joint-stock companies cannot but be concerned about the situation because it has led to the suspension of business at some enterprises and their employees have lost their wages. The republican budget has suffered losses.

The Tajik prime minister sent a letter to his Uzbek counterpart on 7th July 1999, asking to solve the issue. Tajikistan also sent a competent working commission to Uzbekistan on 20th October 1999. The first deputy chairman of the Customs Committee under the government of Tajikistan, (G. Zarifov), a senior specialist of the Tajik president's executive apparatus, (K. Isoyev), the director-general of the Sharob joint-stock company, (B. Mirzoyev), were among members of the commission. The commission returned from Tashkent without any optimism since the talks ended without any result.

A member of the commission, Mirzoyev, has told us that Uzbek officials do not observe basic international economic cooperation norms. They do not care even though they know very well that such illegal actions will aggravate the situation in our republic. The Sharob joint-stock company is one of the victims. It still has not received a sizeable quantity of ethyl alcohol despatched to it from Ukraine's Ivano-Frankovsk Region on 23rd April 1998 (22 days prior to the adoption of the abovementioned Uzbek government resolution). The joint-stock company's 260 staff have been unemployed and had no pay for almost a year.

eekly business newspaper BVV reports about the sale of three hotels by the State Property Committee — Hotel Bukhara in Bukhara for 50 million dollars; Hotel Afrosiab in Samarkand and Hotel Zarafshan in Tashkent for 211.9 thousand dollars. The committee is also planning to sell Hotels Rossiya and Chorsu in Tashkent soon.

he parliament of Uzbekistan approved a new cabinet proposed by President Islam Karimov last Friday. The defense minister's post, which was the only vacant position for a week was occupied last week by Lt-Gen Yuriy Agzamov. 50-year-old Yuriy Agzamov was previously commander of the southwestern special military district. The new cabinet has three members less. The posts of a vice-premier and chairmen of two state committees are abolished. Here is how the key positions in the new Cabinet look.

Utkir Sultonov retained his seat as a prime minister.

Bakhtiyor Hamidov filled in the vacant position of the first deputy prime minister and remained minister of macroeconomics and statistics;

Bakhtiyor Alimjanov stayed as the minister of agriculture and water resources and deputy prime minister;

Hamidulla Karamatov, Rustam Yunusov, Anatoliy Isayev, Valeriy Otayev, Dilbar Ghulomova and Mirabror Usmonov also retained their positions of the deputies of prime minister;

Only former khokim of Syrdarya oblast Uktam Ismoilov has become a new deputy prime minister and was appointed the chairman of the Committee on State Property and Supporting of Entrepreneurship;

The Ministry of Justice is now headed by Abdusamad Polvon-zoda, formerly the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court;

Yuriy Agzamov replaced Hikmatulla Tursunov as a defense minister;

Zokirjon Almatov stayed as minister of internal affairs, just like Rustam Azimov who was appointed minister of finance again;

Abdulaziz Komilov will continue to head the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

Said-Azim Oripov became a new boss of the chairman of the State Customs Committee;

Botir Khojayev will head the State Tax Committee

Rest of the ministries and state committees retained their bosses.

he second session of the Syrdarya Regional council of people's deputies was held February 22. President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov was present at the session and took the floor. The session considered an organizational matter. As Governor of Syrdarya Region Oktam Ismoilov has been transfered to another job (deputy prime minister), the governor of Zafarabad District of Dzhizak Region, Alisher Isroilov, has been appointed the governor of Syrdarya Region, at the proposal of President Islam Karimov.

n quantitative terms the agricultural output of Uzbekistan in 1999 increased by 5.7% compared with 1998. Uzbekistan produced 3.68 million tons of cotton, an increase of close to 19%, and 3.89 million tons of grain, an increase of over 5%. Farms in Uzkbekistan are in the midst of reforms designed to increase discipline and make them profitable.

he national programme approved by the Uzbek government on putting an end to the use of ozone-destroying substances envisages holding a number of seminars to teach specialists various methods and techniques of extracting and recycling refrigerants. The Global Ecological Fund has allocated 3.2m dollars to Uzbekistan to solve this ecological problem. There are plans to open a representative office to coordinate the implementation of the republic's obligations on the ozone layer agreement.

n 20th February a military cargo aircraft of the US Air Force delivered another four Hummer army vehicles to the capital of Uzbekistan, which were granted by the US government. As reported, the first batch of vehicles arrived in Tashkent earlier. This undertaking was carried out within the framework of military cooperation between the USA and Uzbekistan, as well as within the framework of the Partnership for Peace Programme.

he construction of the Topalang reservoir in Surkhandarya Region is being completed. When it is put into operation, the storage capacity of 500m cubic metres of water behind the 200-metre-high dam will make it possible to improve the melioration of more than 100,000 ha of land, to irrigate dry-farming lands and cultivate additional tens of thousands hectares of land.

The use of local raw materials is ensuring uninterrupted construction work. In parallel with it, a hydro-electric power station is being built, the first section of which will be commissioned in 2001. When put into operation, the power facility with a capacity of 175,000 kwt will ensure the regular supply of electricity to seven Districts of Surkhandarya Region.

zbek Radio's Youth Channel has started another good initiative. Starting from 14th February, it is putting on air a new programme entitled "Military Field Postal Service" at 2100-2130 [1600-1630gmt] on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays every week.

n February 18, U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Joseph Presel presented state-of-the-art computer equipment to Tashkent's Navoi State Library. Library Director Abdsalom Umarov and officials from the government of Uzbekistan and U.S. Embassy were present at the ceremony.

The grant to the Navoi Library is in recognition of its role in disseminating information to the general public and in preserving Uzbekistan's rich cultural heritage for future generations. The equipment being donated to the library by the U.S. Embassy will be used by its staff in digitalizing information contained in its unique collections of rare books and manuscripts on the history of pre-Soviet Central Asia.

The computers and other state of the art equipment are also intended to assist the library with its ongoing project to create a digitalized on-line catalog. This latter project will make it easier for library users to find materials in the library's extensive collections. In addition to computers, the U.S. Embassy grant includes digital cameras, scanners, a fax machine and other equipment.

.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Joseph Presel, presented the Ministry of Health with an Electro-Cardiograph Recorder. The purpose of this donation is to assist Uzbekistan in addressing the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in this country. According to Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health, cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death here. In 1998, forty-one percent of the population over 40 years of age were diagnosed with a heart disease. An astonishing fifty-one percent of this population died from the illness.

Ambassador Presel presented this equipment during a ceremony at Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health. Those attending the ceremony included Minister of Health, Feruz Gafurovich Nazirov, representatives from Uzbekistan's Cabinet of Ministers and officials from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent.

The Counterpart Humanitarian Assistance Program (CHAP) is providing this Electro-Cardiograph Recorder through a grant from the U.S. Department of State's Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance to the Newly Independent States (NIS). This lightweight, portable machine will be used by Uzbekistan's ambulatory medical services to improve their diagnostic capabilities and promote early intervention for those with critical heart conditions. Donation of the unit underscores the United States' continuing support for the Uzbek Government's health reform program.

CHAP's activities began in Uzbekistan in 1997 with the U.S. Government's 500th humanitarian assistance flight, "Operation Provide Hope." Since the formal opening of the CHAP program here in August 1998, $9 million worth of humanitarian assistance has been provided to the people of Uzbekistan. This assistance has been distributed through governmental ministries as well as by non-governmental organizations, throughout the Republic, including Karakalpakstan.