ussian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Uzbek capital of Tashkent urged former soviet republics in central Asia to make joint efforts to fight against religious extremism and terrorism.

"It is common knowledge that attempts are underway to carve up the post-Soviet lands along criminal lines with the aid of religious extremism and international terrorism," Putin told reporters at the end of his one-day visit in Tashkent, where he met with his Uzbekistan counterpart Islam Karimov on Thursday.

"An arc of instability has emerged in the republics on Russia's doorstep," Putin said, and Russia supports Uzbekistan's effort to promote security in the region.

Combating international terrorism was high on the agenda of his talks in Uzbekistan, the president continued. Cooperation in this field will be expanded and may go as far as taking preventive steps,he said, mentioning two recently conducted joint Russian- Uzbek military exercises.

"Large centers of international terrorism are at work against us.We seek and find help in Russia, especially with the advent of Putin,who can formulate goals and find ways to achieve them, and whom I trust completely," Karimov said in his turn.

Putin arrived in Tashkent on Thursday for a working visit. At the over-three-hour meeting Thursday evening, Putin and Karimov discussed the prospects of their countries' relations, the situation in the Central Asia and efforts to combat religious extremism and international terrorism.

Both presidents expressed confidence that Russia and Uzbekistan "are ready to build a strong economic foundation for the further advancement of relations between the two countries," said the Kremlin on Friday. According to Karimov, Putin and he found broad mutual understanding in the course of the summit and the bilateral cooperation is assuming a stable fundamental nature.

"The complete coincidence of our views on bilateral cooperation, regional security, the matter of Chechnya and combating international terrorism should not be called into doubt," he told the press Friday. During Putin's trip, the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom signed an at-least-five-year- term agreement with Uzbek side on gas supply, under which Russia will annually import 5 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Uzbekistan.

n 17th May an agreement was reached between the Tashkent Chkalov aircraft factory (TAPOiCh) and Russia's East Line Airways (Domodedovo [Moscow airport]) closed-type joint-stock company for the purchase of two Il-76 MF aircraft in Tashkent.

But a paradoxical situation has developed at the Tashkent Chkalov state joint-stock company. The aircraft which are the brainchild of Uzbekistan and Russia are more readily bought by foreign countries than by Russia and CIS countries. All the more so in that raw materials and components come to Tashkent from hundreds of plants located in post-Soviet space. So East Line is the first Russian airline among other CIS users to place a serious order.

As for the newest Il-76 MF, purchase of these is planned in keeping with Uzbekistan's law on leasing. That is, Uzbekistan Airways is acquiring these aircraft on lease from the Tashkent Chkalov plant and chartering them out to East Line, which will later settle payment under the terms of the trilateral contract. We may point out that this sort of practice has long been accepted in the international aircraft market.

The heads of the Russian air force and the Aeroflot, Vyborg and Arkhangelsk airlines have announced serious intentions to purchase Il-76 MF cargo aircraft.

he feasibility study of a project to reconstruct and expand the Samarkand Chemical Plant presented by Uzkhimprom [Uzbek Chemical Industry] Association has been approved by a Cabinet of Ministers decree. The project cost totals 182m dollars. The modernized enterprise is expected to increase the annual production capacity of highly concentrated phosphorus fertilizers to 435,000 tonnes.

The Turkiston-press national news agency has been informed by Uzkhimprom Association that the chemical plant will be reconstructed through long-term and short-term credits which are expected to be granted by the National Bank For Foreign Economic Activity of Uzbekistan and a foreign bank. The freely convertible currency expenditures will total 155m dollars, 97m of which will be used to purchase modern equipment. It is planned to hold an international tender for the purchase of technological lines.

As expected, the project of the reconstruction of the Samarkand Chemical Plant will be carried out over two and a half years and its start up will provide almost 150 residents of the ancient town with jobs.

delegation headed by the president of Bundestag [German parliament] of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr Wolfgang Thierse, visited Uzbekistan. The senior guests were met at the Tashkent airport by the chairman of the Supreme Assembly, Erkin Khalilov, the mayor of the city of Tashkent, Kozim Tolaganov, and other officials.

At the capital's airport the president of the German Bundestag, Wolfgang Thierse, gave an special interview to the media. [Thierse said:] "Relations between Uzbekistan and Germany are developing further. Our visit will serve to expand further bilateral and mutually advantageous relations. During our stay in your country, until 24th May, we will be holding a number of talks. Our agenda also includes visits to historical monuments and monuments of the past."

On May 22 President Karimov, received Wolfgang Thierse. The sides discussed in detail the further development of bilateral relations.

The president of the German Bundestag, Mr Wolfgang Thierse, and others accompanying him were received at the Supreme Assembly of the Republic of Uzbekistan same day. The chairman of our republic's parliament, Erkin Khalilov, briefed the guest on the work of the Supreme Assembly. It was noted that interparliamentary relations between the two countries were improving year by year.

The same day, the guest also visited the republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov briefed the guest on the republic's foreign policy and Uzbekistan's efforts to widen mutually beneficial cooperation with Germany.

uring the working visit of the president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to our country [Uzbekistan] the motorcade was accompanied by the escort group of the command and the traffic patrol service of the police internal affairs directorate of the city of Tashkent. As a rule, selection to the escort group is conducted thoroughly, high level of professional skills, physical fitness and good command of riding motor bikes are prefered. It was mainly these qualities which the head of the Russian Federation noticed.

As a sign of high gratitude, Vladimir Putin decided to present a watch and a visiting card to the commander of the escort group, police Captain, Shavkat Abdurahimov. It is the first time that the work of the escort group has attracted such a high degree of attention. A ceremony of presentation of the gift was held at the police directorate of internal affairs of the city of Tashkent during a morning assignment. The deputy head of mission of Russia [to Uzbekistan], Valeriy Vasilyev, presented it.

[Valeriy Vasilyev, deputy head of mission of Russia to Uzbekistan, captioned] It was very pleasing to see such a high level of organization during the first visit of the head of our state as the president of the Russian Federation, namely to the Republic of Uzbekistan. This valuable present of the president of Russia is a proof of this.

ourt in eastern Uzbek Namangan Region has sentenced five members of the banned Islamic Hezb-e Tahrir movement to different terms in prison and confiscation of property, `Adolat' newspaper reported on 19th May.

The paper said the men were arrested in January 2000. They were attempting "to spread among people the idea to oppose the existing social democratic system and form independent `circles' in order to popularize and further the Hezb-e Tahrir ideas and to build an Islamic Caliphate", the paper said.

Brothers Adham and Ilhom Abdurahmonov, Pazliddin Nasretdinov, Noghmon Qodirov and Adham Ibrohimov "divided the Namangan population on the basis of their ethnic origin, race and faith into `Muslims', `those of other faiths' and other categories, trying to sow the seeds of conflict, hostility and intolerance", the paper said.

The group members also circulated leaflets which "posed a threat to the nation's security and public order", carried "the ideas of religious extremism, separatism and dogmatism" and also distributed "materials published by an illegal Hezb-e Tahrir Ozbekiston publishing house", the paper said.

outh Korea's Export-Import Bank has granted Uzbekistan a $35.9 million credit to finance the manufacture of a new car model at the Uz-Daewoo joint venture in the ex-Soviet state, a plant official said on Monday.

Alidzhon Mamayusupov, in charge of foreign economic relations and new projects at Uz-Daewoo, told Reuters that the Eximbank had signed a credit agreement with Uzbekistan's National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity.

He said the entire project for producing Daewoo's Matiz model would cost $42.2 million, of which $6.3 million would be provided by the Uzbek side. The plant will start producing parts for up to 60,000 Matiz cars starting this autumn.

The first Matiz car will roll off the conveyor in 2001. Daewoo and Uzavtoprom in 1996 built a $650 million car plant in Uzbekistan's Andizhan province, with a capacity of 200,000 cars annually. The factory currently produces Damas mini-buses, the Tico small car and Nexia sedans.

resident Vladimir Putin wants to entrench Russian influence in former Soviet territory but the his first visit to Central Asia shows his mission will not be easy. Putin's choice of Central Asia as his first destination after his May 7 inauguration may have reflected concerns about a string of U.S. visitors touring the region.

He secured more or less what he wanted from President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan -- closer ties forged through common concerns over terrorism and religious extremism in nearby Afghanistan. But he came away with little from Turkmenistan, where plans to sign a long-term gas supply agreement appeared to go awry.

His next meeting will be in Minsk on Tuesday, where leaders from Slav nations Russia and Belarus meet other Central Asian members of a customs accord -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Officials said the main issues at that meeting would be removing trade barriers and improving economic cooperation. Analysts agree that relations between Russia and most of the newly-independent states once under its tutelage can only get better after the blunders of Putin's predecessor Boris Yeltsin -- seen by many regional heads as a colonialist bully.

RUSSIAN CONCERNS COULD LIMIT PUTIN INITIATIVES

Yet Russia's own economic, military and political limitations and the conflicting concerns of the 12 ex-Soviet states loosely grouped under the Commonwealth of Independent States, could limit the impact of Putin's policy. Putin's stay in Uzbekistan represented a further improvement in relations with Karimov, who was remarkably candid, given how far removed from the Kremlin he became under Yeltsin.

"In this world, a country like Uzbekistan cannot defend itself," Karimov said. "So naturally we seek help from Russia."

Analysts said it was indisputable that ties had warmed between Russia and Uzbekistan, a key player in the oil-rich Central Asian region with the biggest population of 24 million.

"Russia is stating its willingness to protect the sovereignty and independence of Uzbekistan...and is pursuing its own geopolitical aims by protecting itself from the spread of instability," said Andrei Grozin of the Moscow-based Institute for Diaspora and Integration.

But they also questioned what practical form future security cooperation could take, given Moscow's own concerns with its eight-month-old drive against separatists in Chechnya.

"Russia has little to offer economically and its military is tied up in the Chechen campaign," said Olivier Roy of France's National Centre of Scientific Research, author of "The New Central Asia: The Creation of Nations."

Russian media had suggested Putin might agree with Karimov to support Ahmad Shah Masood, leader of the Afghan opposition fighting the conservative Moslem Taleban movement which controls most of the country. But Putin denied any such plan.

"No form of cooperation with either side fighting in Afghanistan was discussed either here or in Uzbekistan," he told reporters in the Turkmen capital Ashgabat.

In Tashkent, Putin and Karimov said only that 28 agreements in the defence and military spheres would be signed shortly.

DIFFERENCES REMAIN OVER KEY TURKMEN GAS DEAL

When Putin met Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov on Friday, the focus moved from security and military cooperation to economic relations centred on natural gas. Turkmenistan boasts some of the world's largest gas resources, but has yet to find a way of bypassing Russia while exporting significant volumes to cash-paying markets.

The touted deal would have involved Turkmenistan delivering up to 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) a year via Russia's sprawling pipeline system for a period of thirty years. It would have served more than one purpose.

Putin would win key leverage over the desert nation of five million and strengthen Russia's hand in the new Great Game being played out by major powers for control of production and transportation of the Caspian's huge oil and gas reserves. It would also undermine a United States-backed plan for a new gas pipeline that would run west across the Caspian to Turkey, avoiding Russia and "rogue state" Iran.

Putin announced that the leaders had agreed to increase the volumes of Turkmen gas passing through Russia by 10 bcm annually until they reached 50 or 60 bcm, but made clear that the key issue of price remained unresolved.

"We agreed on an increase of 10 bcm and we decided that the price would be one on which we can agree," Putin said.

ussian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Uzbekistan, which ended today, "will undoubtedly become a new impetus to cooperation between the two countries in the military and military-technical areas", Uzbek Defence Minister Yuriy Agzamov told ITAR-TASS. He especially stressed Putin's words that Russia will always help Uzbekistan in ensuring its security and territorial integrity, fight against terrorism and religious extremism. On the whole, the minister is convinced that "for the Uzbek military the results of the Russian president's visit look hopeful".

n a recorded interview broadcast on Uzbek radio after Russian President Vladimir Putin was seen off at the airport in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, on 19th May, President Karimov criticized the BBC for asking "stupid" questions about the visit and stressed that Putin's visit was "necessary for the long-term interests of Uzbekistan". In the face of the threat from states lying to the south of the country, Karimov said, Uzbekistan needs to assert its independence and to ensure that it has a strong army. The modern military equipment for that army, Karimov said, could come from Russia, which also offers Uzbekistan a huge potential market.

[Karimov] First of all, if we speak about the positive changes taking place between the countries in general, we should understand this as the improvement of all our relations in the political, economic, spiritual and military spheres.

First of all, we should not consider every visit as a visit only [changes thought] but roughly speaking, we should think about the results of all the visits. We should ask ourselves: what results do we expect from this or that visit? We are living at the end of the 20th century and now we are standing on the threshold of the 21st century. We should say all visits are not carried out for show. This visit by President Putin should not be considered a show! The majority of western news agencies have asked me the question: How did you manage the fact that President Putin has visited Uzbekistan twice in the past three or four months? The BBC asked this question! Do pay attention to this! You are journalists, journalists of Uzbekistan, you are Uzbek journalists, do pay attention to this! What did this agency want to say by this question. They think that it was a show! They are saying that by this "show" Uzbekistan wanted to increase its prestige on the world arena! How did the Uzbek president and Uzbekistan as a country as a whole manage to do it? Is this an intrigue or some sort of show in favour of their own interests? Concerning their questions, I want to say that asking such questions is stupid! First of all such stances are stupid! I would like to say that all these things are a show! These things are being done for gaining false prestige, in order to further some sort of interests! I, personally, am interested in other things. Uzbekistan has long-term interests. I think about the future. All these visits are necessary for the long-term interests of Uzbekistan.

What about the results? What about influence. I think that Mr Putin arrived here not because of his love for the president of Uzbekistan, not because of some sort of warm relations between us. He is a politician. [Karimov changes thought] You know where he worked before he became president. He does not do anything by chance. Our people should hear this, our people should understand this. In other words, it was not by chance that all these things took place. This visit did not come about chance. It came about after deep consideration.

We should understand these steps from this viewpoint. They [Russia] have their own interests as well. And they have a clear understanding of their interests. Thus our people, our public should understand Russia's steps from this viewpoint. In other words, all these steps were taken not only because of Karimov's good relations with Russia after it appointed its new president. I think that there is a new view. This is a new view between the states, between the peoples. This is a new policy. This is the setting up of a new foundation. We should think about these two visits precisely from this viewpoint. Therefore, speaking about the results of this visit, I would like to comment this in another way. In other words, we do not think that the results are important for tomorrow only. All these steps were taken in order to reach long-term, deep goals. First of all, to maintain our people's tranquillity, to maintain security, to keep the peace and tranquillity in our country. The steps were taken in order to be far from any kind of disorders.

Given that there is a real threat to us in the shape of that evident force from the south, I call upon our people to understand that this visit was aimed at preventing this threat. The visit was made in order to ensure peaceful life for our peoples. We have all grounds for a peaceful life. I call upon our people to understand this visit from precisely this viewpoint.

In other words, the main points here are not focused on financial nuances or on what kind of joint ventures we will set up and so on. Speaking about our relations with Russia, I, personally, want to say openly to our people, who understand these things very well even if they do not say so, the following.

First of all, if one asks why Uzbekistan needs these relations with Russia, I want to say openly, without any secrets, that we need them in order to keep the peace and tranquillity on this land which we have inherited from our ancestors. We need them to keep peace for our people and our children. Some people understand this and others do not. There are people who understand this and there are people who do not. Probably, people who live for this day alone will not understand. But those who have devoted their heart and their life to this country will understand these words of mine very well.

What do we need in the first place? Peace and tranquillity. Our land is rich. We have everything. We have 100 per cent chance to achieve all our purposes. I think our people will draw correct conclusions from my words. So this is our first basic purpose. If peace exists everything will be alright. We will achieve all our goals. You should all understand this very well.

Second, every region, first of all, the region of Middle Asia [changes thought] although everyone stresses it is Central Asia, I want to call it Middle Asia. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and after the formation of the five states in this Middle Asia, the majority of states located to the south are striving to be new elder brothers for us. Of course, we should inform our people about this. These states, these forces think that Uzbekistan and its neighbours have become weak now and that they can easily influence us. These states have their long-term plans and draw up their own long-term programmes.

There is no need to speak about these events once again. In other words, their evil intentions are to influence our region, to rule region, to make use of all the natural resources in this region. And if necessary they seek to enslave our peoples. They want to put a new yoke around our shoulders. They call it a caliphate [khalifat]. They call it an Islamic state. This kind of state exists in Afghanistan. I think I will not give the names of the states which intend to be our elder brothers. I think our people will understand which states I mean. In other words these states, our qardoshlar [Uzbek: relatives], should understand very well that recently we got rid of one elder brother. And now we do not need other elder brothers. And we have enough potential to fight against these states.

But what do we need to thwart their intentions? We need help. We need a strong back. We should have a strong army today. Concerning our young people, I would like to say that I am very proud of my sons, my children. They are able to fight against any agressor. But what is the requirement of our times? The requirement of our times is that we should supply our army with arms. We need modern military equipment for our army. We can not produce this equipment in our country. We do have such opportunities. Where shall we buy this? Who will sell it to us? I want to say that Russia can do this. Thus coming from this viewpoint, the second thing is that this will be our second response to these evil forces.

Also I would like to say one more thing. I have already thought deeply about this. The Russian market offers immeasurably great opportunities. Our markets do not contradict each other. Our entrepreneurs understand this very well. Do we need metals? Yes, we do. Do we need wood? Yes, we do. Do we need various raw materials for our industries? Yes, we do. Do we need modern technologies? Although the Russian technologies are lower that in the West, they have enough technologies. If we take advantage of all our potential this will be immeasurable. They will be immeasurable by any standards. In other words, we will have long-term relations on the basis of mutual benefits.

ladimir Putin's visit to the Islamic University was not on his itinerary. Nevertheless it took place immediately before his departure, at the personal request of the president of the Russian Federation, and this decision was quite substantiated. At present the problems of religious extremism and terrorism are topical for both countries. It was these issues that were discussed during Vladimir Putin's conversation with students of the Islamic University.

President Islam Karimov stressed the importance of knowledge, knowledge of the basic sources of Islam. Above all there should be a competent interpretation of religion in order to avoid distortions in these sensitive issues.

Vladimir Putin was interested in all the details of the process of education and of course the purpose of setting up such an educational establishment. Later, at a larger meeting, he noted that all that he had seen was very topical at present and could be a quite useful experience for other countries.

[Putin speaking to students in a conference hall] For hundreds and thousands of years Islam and Christianity have been peacefully getting on with each other, they have been not only getting on with each other but they have been complementing each other.

The conversation with the students was not just a question-and-answer session. This was in fact a dialogue with full understanding of each other. As a result of this quite lively conversation the students invited Vladimir Putin to become an honourary student of the Islamic University, and the president of the Russian Federation accepted this with pleasure.

[Putin] I will study. I am serious about this, I am not joking. That is why I would like to ask you if I can be correspondence student, together with you.

eputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt Muhammad Mahdi Fathallah visited Uzbekistan and met with Uzbek Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Komilov. During the meeting the sides discussed further development of multilateral relations between the two countries. The guest from Egypt visited the Ministry for Foreign Economic Relations the same day and held talks on expanding economic relations between the two countries.

large batch of out-of-date medicines illegally imported from abroad was burned. These medicines are illegally imported and are smuggled into the country. In general, they come by the Delhi-Tashkent route. Then they are distributed throughout the Regions and sold by chemists. Often these medicines are not suitable for their purposes. They have been tested by specialists atof the main department responsible for controlling the quality of medicines and medical equipment under the Uzbek Ministry of Health.

[D.Nasyrova, captioned as head of pharmacological inspection, over video of medicines] All these medicines you see here are counterfeit. They are labelled as having been produced in Poland, India and Bulgaria. According to tests we have made and as we have been informed , these medicines were produced in India. Also, our tests showed that the medicines did not have all the basic ingredients. This means that these medicines are useless.

[Reporter] Shuttle traders import medicines, instructions and packaging separately. And then all these medicines are packaged in our country. Of course, this work is obviously carried out in insanitary conditions. Certainly, this is an illegal business.

[Yu. Khojayev, the deputy prosecutor of the Tashkent Aviation and Transport Prosecutor's Office, voice in Uzbek overlaid in Russian translation] These medicines turn out to have no owners. The shuttle traders who imported them said that they had nothing to do with them when they learned tht their luggage was detained by customs officers.

In six tonnes of illegally-imported medicines have been detained by customs officers over the last two years.All of them are to be incinerated. Thus the law will be observed. A total of 347 bags weighing six tonnes were put into vehicles and transported to the city scrap heap, where they were burned and buried under the supervision of the commission, consisting of representatives from the Prosecutor's Office, the Customs Committee, the Ministry of Health and the State Committee for Nature.

ustoms officers of the Tashkent airport removed from the Tashkent-Moscow flight a woman smuggler last Saturday who tried to bring four kilos of heroin to Russia, Itar-Tass learnt from the Uzbek State Customs Committee on Sunday. According to the committee, customs officers paid attention to the unnatural "stoutness" of the passenger. After an inspection, they found a special belt on her body with six packs of the drug. According to customs officers, this quantity of "the white death" could have fetched 500,000 U.S. dollars on the "black" market.

iming to tighten Moscow's ties to Central Asia, Russia's president promised Friday to help Uzbekistan fight Islamic extremism and struck a deal with Turkmenistan on natural gas supplies. President Vladimir Putin's visit to the two former Soviet republics followed a week of efforts to reassert the his authority at home by reining in Russia's freewheeling regions. In the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, Putin said Russia would offer military aid to Uzbekistan. He signed several agreements on military cooperation with Uzbek President Islam Karimov. Neither gave details of the accords.

"A threat to Uzbekistan is a threat to Russia," Putin said at a news conference. "If we don't stop aggressive moves in the south, we will face it at home."

Karimov called Putin's visit "reassuring for Uzbekistan's military." Earlier, Karimov had hinted that Uzbekistan hoped for Russian aid to modernize its air defense system. Karimov, the former Uzbek Communist Party boss, has established a strong secular rule, cracking down on Islamic fundamentalists, human rights activists and other dissidents. He and other regional leaders have said that tough rule is necessary to prevent the spread of Islamic fundamentalism following the rise of the Taliban in nearby Afghanistan.

The threats to the region were highlighted last year by a series of bombings of government buildings in Tashkent that killed 13 people. Authorities blamed Islamic militants. Russia has tried to maintain its presence in Central Asia, which it dominated for centuries. It has deployed about 25,000 troops and border guards to neighboring Tajikistan and offered to set up joint defenses in other countries.

Until recently, Karimov preferred to look for assistance from Turkey, the United States and Europe. The United States and other Western nations have offered some aid, but they have demanded that Uzbekistan improve its human rights record and reform its Soviet-style economy before it gets more. Irritated by such criticism, Karimov has turned to Russia for economic and military aid. "Today Russia is the only country that can help ensure Uzbekistan's security," he said Friday.

Later Friday, Putin traveled to neighboring Turkmenistan, where he and President Saparmurat Niyazov discussed regional security and economic cooperation.

Gas-rich Turkmenistan agreed to increase natural gas supplies to Russia by 350 billion cubic feet next year, followed by another 350 billion cubic feet in 2002, Putin said. But the two presidents had not yet agreed on a price -- a crucial step before the deal is sealed. Analysts said Friday's agreement could threaten a U.S.-backed plan to build a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Turkey via the Caspian Sea because so much gas would be routed to Russia instead.

Human rights activists in Russia have expressed fear that Putin, a former KGB agent, will turn to authoritarian methods to achieve his goals of restoring stability and strengthening the state. This week, he presented several draft laws to increase the Kremlin's power over the regions. The bills would revamp the upper house of parliament from a body of mostly regional governors to one made up of full-time, appointed legislators and would give Putin the right to fire lawbreaking governors, among other changes. All three bills would need approval from parliament to take effect.

delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov of the Republic of Kazakhstan arrived in our country today. The major aim of the visit is to develop further the existing economic, political and cultural relations between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and ensure all-round cooperation aimed at promoting further concord between the two fraternal peoples. The delegation members discussed questions of bilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan at a meeting of an inter-governmental joint commission.

n earthquake hit Qamashi District of [southern] Kashkadarya Region on 20th April. According to specialists, the epicentre was located in the village of Yertepa, not far from the town of Qamashi, where the magnitude of the strike reached seven degrees.

According to the head of the District headquarters for removing the earthquake's aftermath, H. Lafasov, the earthquake damaged some houses and administrative, cultural and public buildings, including schools and healthcare establishments. Four people were injured.

The aftermath is being speedily removed. A special fund has been set up to help the victims. The Regional administration and other organizations have transferred nearly 21m soms to the fund. The Uzagrosughurta [Uzbek agricultural insurance] company provided aid worth 4,673,000 soms.

This was discussed at a meeting of the republican government commission set up at the Qamashi District administration to remove the aftermath of the earthquake. The meeting was chaired by the first deputy prime minister, Bakhtiyor Hamidov. The meeting talked about the need to speed up the work to remove the earthquake's aftermath and set specific tasks and gave instructions to the relevant government officials and organizations.

ceremony of signing joint documents between Uzbekistan Airways national air company and El Al Israeli Airlines Ltd took place. A package of agreements, including a memorandum on mutual understanding, an agreement on providing El Al aircraft with fuel at the airport of the city of Tashkent, an agreement on surface servicing, on renting aircraft, as well as an agreement on the joint exploitation of flight routes were signed. [Few words indistinct] to reduce running and advertising costs.

he Muslim Spiritual Board of Uzbekistan has sent humanitarian aid, which includes construction materials, carpets and memorable gifts, to the Abu Bakr Siddiq mosque in [Tajik capital] Dushanbe. As is known in February this year there was a fire there. Receiving the aid of the fraternal Uzbek people the imam of the mosque expressed his sincere thanks.

he Taliban movement has threatened that Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will bear the responsibility if preventive strikes are hit on Chechen rebel camps which, according to some information, are located on Afghan territory, the Afghan Islamic Press reported on Tuesday with a reference to the Taliban official representative. On Monday Russian Presidential Aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky did not exclude preventive strikes on camps of international terrorists in Afghanistan in case of a real danger to the national interests of Russia or its allies.

ow, the Fergana Airport can receive such big aircraft as Il-62, Il-86, A-300, Boeing-757 and Boeing-767. This means a new era has started in the history of the Fergana Airport. The director of the airport, Vladislav Ten, said the following to the Turkiston-press correspondent about the work done and the prospects.

"New international flights will considerably increase the flood of foreign tourists. After the repair, those arriving will be serviced on the first floor of the airport, while those leaving will be registered and checked on the second floor," V. Ten said in conclusion.

n May 26th, the U.S. Peace Corps in Uzbekistan will sponsor its 9th Swearing-In Ceremony here for twenty new volunteers in the field of health care. The ceremony will take place in the auditorium of Tashkent's Amir Temur Museum.

Ms. Molly O'Neal, Acting Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Tashkent, will administer the Peace Corps Oath to the new volunteers. Representatives from Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health plus national and regional government officials from Tashkent, Chirchik, Bostanlik and Kibray are also expected to attend this ceremony. Host family members, medical practitioners and school directors involved in the Peace Corps' Health Training Program have also been invited to the swearing in ceremony and reception that will follow.

This is the second group of health care volunteers assigned to Uzbekistan. To prepare them for their assignments, these twenty new volunteers have spent the past eleven weeks in a rigorous training program that has included language instruction in either Uzbek or Russian. They have also taken classes on Uzbekistan's traditions, history and culture. Finally, they have spent time learning how to adapt American technical skills to meet the health care needs of the people whom they will be assisting.

Host families in the Chirchik, Kibray and Gazalkent districts have served as cultural and linguistic guides and mentors for the new volunteers. Local health care practitioners have helped them understand Uzbekistan's medical system and health practices.

The volunteers have also been able to exchange cultural and medical information with host families, medical professionals and school children. During their training, volunteers have discussed American life and values with members of their host families and accompanied Uzbek medical practitioners on house calls. The new volunteers also organized health fairs and directed an environmental campaign for local school children.

ust over half of the population of Uzbekistan, or 12.29m people, were employed in 1999 which was 1 per cent up on the previous year's figure, `Biznes Vestnik Vostoka' reported on 18th May. It said that most of those looking for work were from the countryside and were male, aged 16-30 with general secondary education. At the end of 1999, more people were looking for work through labour exchanges than in the previous year, although the number of jobs available through them was down. It also said that more people were employed in the non-state sector in 1999.

In absolute terms, this means 12.29m people and the level of their employment in the republic's economy went up by 1 per cent. According to specialists, the numbers of those employed grew in all sectors of material and non-material production. So, the number of those engaged in transport and communications, as well as trade, public catering, material and technical supply and procurement went up by 2.5 per cent and those in construction - by 1.2 per cent against 1998.

With the formation of a multi-sector economy in Uzbekistan, the professional orientation of the workforce has changed along with the forms of ownership and management of enterprises they are engaged in. For example, in 1999 the non-state sector of the economy grew stronger: 73 per cent of those working were employed in it, which is 0.5 per cent up on the 1998 figure.

387,900 people applied to labour exchanges for a job in 1999 which is 74,100 people or 23.6 per cent more than in 1998; the highest number of them applied: in Namangan Region -12.5 per cent, in Fergana - 11.6 per cent, in Samarkand - 10.8 per cent.

Classification of the unemployed who applied for a job showed the following:

- by age: 59 per cent are aged 16-30; 37.5 per cent are aged 30-50; 3.5 per cent are aged 50 and over;

- by sex: 46.5 per cent are women;

- by region: 68.1 per cent are rural residents;

- by education: 58.9 per cent have general secondary education.

At the end of last year, the official unemployment rate in Uzbekistan was 0.5 per cent of the economically active population. At the same time, it should be noted that the number of those aged 16-30 who applied to labour exchanges for a job went up by 4.3 per cent.

In 1999, 246,400 people were provided with jobs, which is 18.5 per cent up on the 1998 level. In other words, 63.5 per cent of all those who applied for a job were employed. It should be added that 46.7 per cent of them were blue-collar workers, 19.2 per cent - white-collar workers, 62.1 per cent were aged 16-30 and 42.3 per cent were women.

At the end of 1999 there were 45,200 people listed on labour exchanges against 40,100 on the previous year. The greatest number of them were registered in Navoi Region - 10,100 people (or 22.3 per cent of the total number), in Karakalpakstan - 7,400 (16.3 per cent), in Samarkand Region - 4,900 (10.8 per cent).

In the meantime, the number of jobs offered by enterprises and organizations through labour exchanges was 32,900, which is 5.1 per cent lower against 1998.

he members of faction from Fidokorlar [Self sacrificers] Party held a meeting before the second session of the Oliy Majlis. The meeting adopted a decision to form a new faction after the merger of Fidokorlar and Vatan Taraqqioty [Homeland Progress] parties. The Vatan Taraqqioty party's head, Ahtam Tursunov, was elected the leader of the faction.

he second session of the Supreme Assembly of the Republic of Uzbekistan [Uzbek parliament] of the second convocation opened on May 25. The Chairman of the Supreme Assembly, Erkin Khalilov, took the floor on the first issue on the agenda: On priorities of the legislative and monitoring work of committees and commissions of the Supreme Assembly of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2000-2002 proceeding from the speech of the president of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, at the first session of the Supreme Assembly of the second convocation.

After that the head of our state expressed his ideas and thoughts on this issue. The head of our country urged the four parties functioning in our country, their parliamentary factions and independent groups, to be active. He said that one should fully grasp the importance of the document before passing it and showing it a positive approach towards it.

Apart from this the head of our state spoke about the future parliament, expressed his ideas and thoughts about the need to make the parliament bicameral.

Today, when religious extremism and terrorism have strengthened their position in the Central Asian region, definetetly, the session's attention was focused on the issue of what the army should be and how the reforms should be carried out in the army. Speaking about this, the head of our country said the [Uzbek] armed forces should be compact and perfect in a comprehensive way.

After that the session started considering the next issue: On the implementation of the state budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 1999 and for the first quarter of 2000. Finance Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov made report on this.