rince Hasan Bin Talal of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is currently visiting Uzbekistan. He attended the international conference "World Religions: along the path of world culture" [English title: UNESCO International Congress on Culture of Peace into Religous Dialogue] and as part of the programme of the forum, met Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister H. [Hamidulla] Karomatov. The sides had an exchange of opinions on cooperation between the countries in science, culture and education.

The high-ranking guest visited Tashkent Islamic University, which comes under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Prince Hasan Bin Talal also had a meeting with the prime minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Otkir Sultonov. During the meeting the sides exchanged opinions on the opportunities for further developing cooperation between Uzbekistan and Jordan.

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delegation headed by Prime Minister Amangeldi Muraliyev of the Kyrgyz Republic arrived in Uzbekistan today (september 15) on a working visit. He had a one-to-one meeting with the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Otkir Sultonov in capital city Tashkent.

The state of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, ways to further strengthen it and to fully implement the existing opportunities in this matter were discussed. Then the ministers and members of the delegations of the two countries started discussing questions of developing cooperation in various fields and removing the existing shortcomings and obstacles.

A deputy prime minister of Kyrgyzstan for economic matters, Esengul Omaraliyev, gave an interview to journalists on this: "Trade and economic cooperation between the two countries has been expanding from year to year. We have arrived on a working visit to strengthen further this trend in cooperation. There was an agreement on the establishment of free trade signed between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan but both parties had some shortcomings in it. The commission has considered these problems and restrictions were lifted in 15 points of the 19 although they have not yet been implemented. The questions to be considered also include the high excise taxes on exports. Every state has the right to protect its own market, therefore we intend to settle this problem. At present, a group of experts is working on this."

Also the question of border areas will be considered. Uzbekistan has no objections to this. We are working on ways to put it into practice, proceeding from all the existing opportunities. Another package of questions relates to water and the power industry. We have passed to your country sufficient water for the irrigation period, on which we have a mutual accord. There are no obstacles in the export of electricity. We only have to reach terms in setting gas prices. The agenda also includes the mutual exchange of private property because property belonging to your state exists in our country. This question is also positively settled by the commission. The last question is that of cargo and transport transit. We made proposals on the mutual exchange of [transit] warrants but it is not yet clear how big the goods' flow is going to be, the deputy prime minister of Kyrgyzstan for economic matters, Esengul Omaraliyev, said.

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azakhtelecom insists that as at 1st July this year, the Uzbek Khalqaro-Telecom joint-stock company had run up a debt of 4.38m dollars to the Kazakh telecommunications operator.

The president of the Kazakhtelecom open-type joint-stock company, Aben Bektasov, told the Interfax-Kazakhstan agency that this sum includes a Special Drawing Right (SDR) of 2.4m (the IMF's rate is one SDR equals 1.3 dollars as of 6th July 2000) and 1,184,000 dollars...

Meanwhile, a deputy director general of the Khalqaro-Telecom joint-stock company (an operator of international and intercity services, part of Uzbektelecom), A'zam Izbasarov, said earlier that the total debt of the Uzbek side to Kazakhtelecom is 1.18m dollars for the period between 1998 and the first quarter of 1999. Over the subsequent period, Izbasarov said, the system of mutual settlement between the Uzbek and the Kazakh sides was sorted, and there is no further debt.

However, Bektasov pointed out that "his colleague was inaccurate" when he said that the sum of 1.18m dollars is "only part of" the accounts payable of Uzbekistan. The head of the Kazakh company said that this is confirmed by the checking of mutual settlements between Khalqaro-Telecom and the Kazakhtelecom for international telecommunications services and is set down in a debt-clearing schedule signed by the sides. Despite Izbasarov's statement, Bektasov said that this sum subsequently accumulated.

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man detained by Kazakh customs officers on the border with Uzbekistan today is a national of Uzbekistan, a 28-year-old resident of the [eastern Uzbek] town of Namangan, Mukhammad Atakhanov, who is suspected by the Uzbek authorities of involvement in the terrorist acts in Tashkent [bomb explosions] in February, 1999, the officers from the customs directorate for South Kazakhstan Region told Interfax-Kazakhstan agency.

According to verified information from the customs officers, the detainee was going to his homeland and was detained because he had no documents proving his identity, except for a certificate of birth of his brother, Akhtam Atakhanov.

The detainee confessed that the certificate belonged to his dead brother. The customs officers said that the detainee had also volunteered the information that he was wanted by Uzbekistan's police and he was going there through Kazakhstan's territory from Kyrgyzstan, where he had been hiding since February, 1999.

Atakhanov said that he took the decision to return to the homeland, where his wife and two children are waiting for him, after official Tashkent's recent announcement of an amnesty for the people involved in the activities of bandit groups, provided that they surrender themselves to the authorities voluntarily.

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he deputy head of the department for monitoring state education standards at the Uzbek Education Ministry, Ra'no Otaboyeva, and the deputy head of the Ta'lim-Savdo [Education trade] department under the Education Ministry, Ismatilla Sultonov, visited Saryassiya and Uzun Districts [southern Uzbekistan] to learn about the life of those who have been moved from mountainous areas to safe areas, and about their children's studies.

The children of people living in Hamid Archa, Angorqozi, Sarinavo, Kunkormas and Registon mountain settlements used to study at schools No 40 and 41 of Uzun District department of education. In all 34 teachers worked with 124 pupils at school No 40. Merciless individuals who have lost their human guise have disrupted their peaceful life. The pupils, who were moved together with their parents to the Kholmuhammad Qulniyozov resort greeted the new academic year in the resort centre. The head of the District education department, Hikmatilla Shoymardonov, told us the following:

After people were moved from the mountains, schools No 40 and 41 were also moved. Until the beginning of the academic year the children were on holiday with their parents in the resort centre. There they are provided with hot meals twice a day and clothes. No matter what the situation is, our task is to educate the children, to teach them to hope for good days and to believe in the future of Uzbekistan. For this reason we opened school No 40 in this resort centre.

Studies at both schools are in Tajik. One of the main problems at these schools is the lack of textbooks. However, this problem will be settled in the near future.

Thanks to the efforts of the experts at Saryassiya District administration and the education department, the children of families who were moved to the Labi-ob resort centre and a forestry farm in Saryassiya District also met the new academic year in that resort centre. School No 65, which used to be situated in the mountains, was also moved to the resort centre. Five classrooms have been opened for pupils of 10 classes, 21 children who started school this year received gifts from the head of state for the first time.

The same teachers who worked in mountainous Uzun and Saryassiya Districts are teaching children who have been moved from those areas, because this is one of the ways of saving people from becoming unemployed.

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zbek Defence Minister Yuriy Agzamov arrived in Almaty last night (September 14).

Kazakhstan's Defence Ministry told an Interfax-Kazakhstan agency correspondent that on Friday [15th September] Agzamov would attend the Centrazbat-2000 international peacekeeping exercises which are being held on the territory of Almaty Region from 10th till 20th September within the framework of the NATO Partnership For Peace programme.

The information centre for the exercises told the Interfax-Kazakhstan correspondent that on the afternoon of 15th September, military units will start perfecting joint peacekeeping operations in conflict zones. In particular, the tasks of guarding refugee camps, rendering assistance to civilian organizations in carrying out humanitarian actions and passing refugees through control checkpoints when members of armed bandit groups are among them trying to break through from conflict zones into adjoining territories will be perfected on that day.

Around 1,000 servicemen from the USA, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Great Britain, Turkey, Mongolia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are taking part in the Centrazbat [exercises] this year. In addition, military officials from France and Ukraine will observe the exercises.

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azakh police officers detained a resident of [the eastern Uzbek town of] Namangan at the Zhibek-Zholy customs post [South Kazakhstan Region] today.

Interfax-Kazakhstan learned from well-informed sources that the Kazakh police had information that the detainee was suspected by the Uzbek special services of involvement in the terrorist acts in Tashkent in February last year [bomb explosions in the centre of Tashkent].

The Uzbek national, who intended to enter South Kazakhstan Region, was spotted by Kazakh customs officers who had photographs of the people wanted by the Uzbek authorities.

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zbekistan's Interior Ministry forces and border troops have fully destroyed the remaining seven-member group of militants, who intruded into Uzbekistan three weeks ago among a large group of international terrorists, an officer in the press service of the military prosecutor's office told ITAR-TASS on Thursday [14th September].

The seven terorrists were spotted on Wednesday and were smashed in two-hour fighting in the area of Aktash settlement. The first proportion of the intruders was destroyed in Bostanlyk district of Tashkent region on 28th August.

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he autumn of 1997 is remembered for a high incidence of hepatitis. It was so high that hospitals for infectious diseases had no wards left in which to put patients. People were up in arms about this. In reality, 1995 saw an epidemiologically higher incidence of the disease than 1997. In addition, deaths occurred in that year. The latest statistics suggest that the incidence of infectious hepatitis is also high this year.

This year's epidemiology has its specific features. The situation began to worsen as early as May or July, not in September. Hepatitis experts say that they expected a high epidemic level and the prediction has come true. Analysing viral hepatitis indices for [Uzbek capital] Tashkent alone, it is almost five times the figure for last year. The incidence of A type hepatitis in certain districts has risen by eight or even up to 10 times. Epidemiology has its own rules. If a particular year sees a sharp rise or fall in the incidence of a particular disease, then the year that follows is sure to experience a similar change. To take an example, last year's incidence figure for Yakkasaroy District was 16.8, whereas this year it is 172.7, an increase of more than 10 times. Such examples can also be cited from Tashkent Region. What causes the disease? It is natural that the question should arise - is it possible to guard oneself against it?

Our observations indicate that there is a strong likelihood that the incidence of hepatitis among school-age children will rise sharply starting from late September or early October, since so far schoolchildren have had limited contact with one another. With the start of the study year, they will be in contact more often. Such contact is known to expose them to the widespread type A hepatitis. This is why we are raising this topic today.

With the start of the new academic year, public health staff in all districts will begin their campaigns to give schoolchildren information about the disease and ways of preventing it spreading. This is a good thing. But we think that a very important point here is that each person needs to thoroughly understand and consider at the level of their age, sex and learning, ways of guarding themselves against this disease.

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delegation led by UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura was in Uzbekistan this week. On August 14 the delegation visited the Islamic University in the capital Tashkent. University officials and students sincerely welcomed the high-ranking guest. In his brief speech there, Koichiro Matsuura announced the opening of a UNESCO faculty at Tashkent Islamic University.

During the meeting at the University's conference hall, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan [and the University's rector] Hamidulla Karomatov welcomed Mr Koichiro Matsuura to Uzbekistan. He highlighted the significance of opening the UNESCO faculty at the university. He expressed his hope that this would serve to further develop the cooperation between Uzbekistan and UNESCO. The students speaking at the meeting expressed their satisfaction with the new opportunity created for them. During the meeting, the UNESCO director-general solemnly presented the Tashkent Oriental Studies University and His Excellency Mufti [of Uzbekistan Adburashid Bahromov] with UNESCO certificates.

In his interview to journalists following the ceremony, UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura, among other things said:

"Islam has played its specific role in the history of Uzbekistan. Since the ancient times the development of Islam in this country has had a great history. But it is noteworthy that apart from the development of Islam in this country, it [Uzbekistan] is also known as country which lies in the crossroads of developing world civilization and secular states. The ancient Silk Road passed through this country. That is why the development of other religions and cultures has found its reflection here. For example, historically, the Buddhist, Zoroastrian and Christian religions existed here. That is why the country has great opportunities for developing inter-religious and other cultural relations between countries."

Mr. Matsuura also dwelt on the international conference which is due to be opened on Friday. He said that it was very important that the the Uzbek president supported the conference.

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epresentatives of all the political parties operating in our republic and various public organizations held a meeting in the building of the Central Council of the People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan on 12th September.

The participants in the meeting, which was held to support the speech by President Islam Karimov at the third session of the Supreme Assembly [parliament] of the second convocation of Uzbekistan and the Supreme Assembly's appeal to the citizens of Uzbekistan, the parliaments of all countries and the progressive people of the world. The meeting stressed the need to join efforts to fight against terrorists and religious extremism, which are posing a threat to the country's independence and territorial integrity.

The meeting adopted a joint statement, "Uzbekistan is our common home", signed by a number of social and political organizations of Uzbekistan and worked out a programme of cooperation in this direction.

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he International Olympic Committee Board will consider a report from the Australian Government, before deciding whether to exclude an Uzbeki coach from the Sydney Games. Sergei Voynov will face a Sydney court on Tuesday after being charged with importing what Customs alleges was human growth hormone.

He faces a maximum $20,000 fine, because his matter is being dealt with at a local court. The Australian Customs Service has charged Mr Voynov with importing a prohibited substance. Last Thursday Voynov was found with 15 vials of a substance.

On Monday the Uzbekistan team said the vials were brought in to treat a medical condition that Voynov has. Voynov is in the athletes' village and will be appearing in court next Tuesday. The team could not be reached for comment this morning.

Last week senior International Olympic Committee board member Jacques Rogge indicated that if Mr Voynov was charged by Customs it could threaten his Olympic accreditation. Justice Minister Amanda Vanstone will not discuss details of the case but has praised border agencies for doing an "excellent job ensuring Australia's laws are upheld".

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he presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan Islam Karimov and Saparmurat Niyazov held a telephone conversation on Wednesday (September 13). In the course of a traditional exchange of views, the leaders of the two fraternal peoples discussed the key bilateral, regional and international issues and the progress of the implementation of the previous agreements. The two leaders also briefed each other on social and economic reforms in their countries.

Having noted the constructiveness and comprehensive nature of the bilateral cooperation and its very dynamic development in the interests of both nations, the Turkmen and Uzbek leaders stressed that there were no disputes or unresolved issues between the two neighbouring states and their common border was a frontier of peace and friendship.

An agreement has been reached during the telephone conversation on a visit by Islam Karimov to Ashgabat on 21st-22nd September this year. Talks will be held during the visit on the further expansion of the Turkmen-Uzbek cooperation in the priority spheres and a number of bilateral documents will be signed.

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he president of our country, Islam Karimov, received visiting UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura at his Oqsaroy residence in Tashkent September 13.

Having welcomed the UNESCO director-general, the president said that his visit was of great significance. As this was the first meeting between the two since Mr Matsuura had been elected UNESCO director-general, the president wished him success in his important work. He expressed his gratitude to Mr Matsuura for willing to participate in the international conference "Sufism and inter-religious dialogue", which is to begin tomorrow in the capital of our country, and wished success to the conference.

UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura expressed his gratitude for the reception and said he wanted to further develop the Uzbek-UNESCO cooperation, step up assistance and encourage various initiatives withing the organization.

Following the meeting, the UNESCO director-general presented to President Islam Karimov a special UNESCO medal for preserving cultural heritage.

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resident Karimov appointed scholar Behzod Yoldohsev, the former director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences, president of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan.

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ccording to official reports from the Kyrgyz Government House, Uzbek President Islam Karimov is expected to pay an official visit to Kyrgyzstan on 26th-27th September 2000.

The Kyrgyz and Uzbek presidents will hold narrow-format talks to be followed by talks with the involvement of the two countries' security councils. Bilateral relations in the political and economic spheres and their future prospects are expected to be discussed at the talks.

However, the main topic of the discussions will be the current situation in the region following the incursion into Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan by illegal bandit formations, which are making attempts to infiltrate the Fergana Valley. The two countries' armed forces are carrying out combat operations to wipe out the Islamic extremists. The Kyrgyz and Uzbek power-wielding structures are carrying out combat operations and are exchanging situation reports.

The programme of Karimov's visit includes his address to the Kyrgyz parliament, a meeting with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Amangeldy Muraliyev and also a visit to the [southern] town of Osh, which has an ethnic Uzbek population. President Karimov is expected to meet staff and students of the Osh Regional university. President Karimov will leave for Tashkent on 27th September.

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he Ukrainian and Uzbek governments intend to revise the list of goods exclusions from a bilateral free trade agreement in order to reduce the list in the first quarter of 2001.

A Ukrainian-Uzbek joint commission on cooperation has agreed on this at its session in Tashkent.

The list of exclusions on the Uzbek side contains chiefly goods of the "hard currency type" monitored by executive agencies, Ukrainian Deputy Economics Minister Andriy Honcharuk has told the press. The agreements reached are "a breakthrough in economic relations", he said.

Exclusions from the bilateral free trade agreement exist both on the Ukrainian and Uzbek sides. Tashkent introduced ten exclusions from this agreement, such as the export of cotton and the import of pharmaceuticals.

Ukraine, in turn, introduced export exclusions on leather, cattle, gold and other goods.

The implementation of the agreements will help increase trade flows from Uzbekistan to Ukraine, especially those of cotton and non-ferrous metals, Honcharuk said.

Representatives of the Ukrainian and Uzbek governments are to exchange legal documents concerning the reduction of the list of exclusions from the free trade agreement and coordinate a schedule for the revision of the list.

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resenter The fourth meeting of the Uzbek-Ukrainian interstate joint commission on all-round cooperation took place in Tashkent today.

[First correspondent] The Uzbek prime minister, Otkir Sultonov, opened the meeting and said with satisfaction that mutually advantageous ties between the two states were expanding. The foreign trade turnover between the two countries in 1997 was 252.7m dollars, with the exports amounting to 122.3m dollars and the imports - 130.4m dollas. The figure for the first seven months of this year is 152.6m dollars.

It is worth mentioning that the joint ventures, which have been set up with the participation of Ukrainian investors, have exported goods worth 81.6m dollars.

[Second correspondent] Today, in the afternoon, the two countries' prime ministers, Viktor Yushchenko and Otkir Sultonov, signed a protocol on the results of the meeting of the Uzbek-Ukrainian joint commission on all-round cooperation at Intercontinental Hotel. The sides also signed a protocol on the introduction of addenda and amendments to the agreements between the governments of Uzbekistan and Ukraine on delivering foodstuffs on equal terms.

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he Uzbek government has appealed to international organizations for aid in resolving the pressing problems caused by a severe drought.

The government's press service told Interfax on Wednesday [13th September] that the greatest damage had been done to Karakalpakia, an autonomous area on the Aral Sea.

Karakalpakia is an environmental disaster area caused by the drying up of the sea. This year, the situation was further aggravated by an unprecedented scarcity of water. Water levels in the Tuyamyun man-made lake - the only source of water supplies there - fell 75-80 per cent compared to last year.

A source in the Karakalpak administration told Interfax on Wednesday that the drought had done great damage to local farming. All rice fields and 90 per cent of other crops perished in the nine northern districts and in the virgin lands in the south.

The total damage is estimated at 14.5bn soms (1 dollar = 291.83 soms). Drinking water is in very short supply. There is a danger of epidemics.

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resenter: Information of the press centre of Uzbekistan. As reported earlier, as a result of special operations on 28th August 2000 on the territory of Bostanlyk District in Tashkent on destroying a gang of international terrorists, of 15 men who infiltrated into our republic, eight criminals who resisted the law-enforcement agencies were killed.

[Correspondent over video of dead bodies of militants, alleged confiscated assault rifles, ammunition and US dollars] On 11th September 2000, as a result of continuing urgent search work, another seven members of the terrorist group were noticed in the area of Ak-Tash settlement, in Chatkal District of Dzhalal-Abad Region of Kyrgyzstan. The same day, as a result of joint special operations of law-enforcement agencies and power wielding departments of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, all of them were eliminated.

The criminals have been identified. They were: Jamoliddin Jorayev, nickname - Abdurashid Botir, born in 1979; Dilshod Lutfiyev, nickname - Abdufarruh, born in 1971; Hayrulla Mirhayitov, nickname - Shamsiddin, born in 1979; A'zamjon Rahimov, nickname - Zubair, born in 1977; Abdurauf Saidaliyev, nickname - Jaloliddin, born in 1968; Odoljon Toraboyev, nickname - Abdulahad, born in 1967; Tohirjon Tursunov, nickname - Abdullo, born in 1970.

Members of the investigation squad of the prosecutors' office of the Republic of Uzbekistan have arrived at the scene to carry out urgent investigation work. Joint investigation work of the prosecutors' offices of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan found on the killed terrorists eight Kalashnikov assault rifles; a machine-gun; a significant quantity of ammunition; a large amount of foreign currency, and summaries and notes on subversion training. They also found the identity card of Senior Lt Shuhratbek Sobirov, who was killed by the terrorists on 18th August this year, along with a photo of one of the criminals.

At present the investigation group of the prosecutors' office of the Republic of Uzbekistan is continuing necessary urgent investigation work.

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n Uzbek Olympic official has taken legal action in the Australian city of Sydney over media reports alleging he had been involved in organized crime and drug trafficking. A Sydney law firm says it is acting for Gafur Rakhimov in separate libel actions.

The action is being taken against British journalist Andrew Jennings, author of "The Great Olympic Swindle", the `Sydney Morning Herald' newspaper and the "Four Corners" television programme on Radio Australia's parent organization, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The federal government has barred Mr Rakhimov entry to Australia because of security concerns, despite formal protests by Uzbekistan and the International Olympic Committee.

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he Uzbekistan Government has appealed through diplomatic channels for an urgent revision of the Federal Government's ban on Uzbekistan's Olympic boxing official, Gafur Rakhimov.

Uzbekistan Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdulaziz Komilov has written to the Australian embassy in Moscow appealing against the Prime Minister's decision not to allow Mr Rakhimov entry into the country for the Olympics.

Mr Rakhimov has been refused entry because of "safety and security concerns". He has been linked with drug smuggling.

Uzbekistan Olympic Committee president Sabirjan Ruziev said Mr Rakhimov had been a significant contributor to sport in his country.

"We will stand up for him, we will do our best to bring him here and protect his honor," Mr Ruziev said.

"He is an honest man, he is a sportsman and loves sports, and he has been the head of charity a foundation for children in need and has been for a long time, part of the Olympic family. These claims (of drug smuggling) don't have any substance and there are no facts."

Mr Ruziev said Mr Rakhimov was "feeling very hurt inside".

He said the appeal against the Australian government decision would not have been made if the Uzbekistan Government had any concerns about Mr Rakhimov's character. "If he was a bad man, the government would not have made this appeal."

Mr Ruziev said Mr Rakhimov was a member of the Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, an executive board member of the International Boxing Federation, chairman of sports in central Asia and vice-president of the Olympic Council of Asia.

"It is very sad to hear that he is not allowed to come because he had accreditation. I know he feels very bad that he couldn't come," Mr Ruziev said.

He said Mr Rakhimov was working to build up Uzbekistan's Olympic committee.

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mproving relations in various sectors of our society - this was the main direction of new legal documents considered at the third session of the Supreme Assembly in its second convocation. Among these documents was a new draft of the bill, On Courts. Deputies approved it on first reading. The document will be published for nationwide discussion. What is new in the bill, and how will its provisions affect the practice of legal proceedings?

The secretary of the parliamentary committee on legislation and judicial issues, and chairman of the Uzbekistan Association of Judges, Abdil Tokhtashev, said the following about this:

[Tokhtashev] The bill envisages the setting up of inter-district courts for civil cases, a Supreme Court of the Republic of Karakalpakstan for civil cases, and regional and Tashkent city courts for civil cases. There are plans to set up a similar structure for criminal cases. These changes will be implemented taking into account world experience and practice, and together with the gradual formation of a corps of judges specialized in particular areas of the law. This is to allow judges to differentiate the spheres of their activity precisely and avoid doing all types of work.

[Q] The bill envisages the introduction of a new procedure for considering cases. What will this mean?

[A] The Supreme Court has actually become a court of second instance now. Hundreds of civil and criminal cases are considered there annually by way of cassation. As a result, the efficiency of supervision leaves much to be desired.

The bill envisages giving these courts supervisory functions. The document introduces a relevant legal basis in order to achieve this. There are plans, in particular, to review the orders governing the hearing of appeal cases, amending the existing cassation form. It is no secret that opportunities are quite limited for judges of second instance to correct errors of judges of first instance, as a result of which decisions and sentences are sent for additional or repeated consideration. This causes huge financial expense, not to mention the moral issues involved.

What is being suggested? The Supreme Court of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, and the regional and Tashkent city courts for civil and criminal cases will consider cases both by way of appeal and cassation. Appeal instances will consider complaints and protests on sentences and decisions of courts which have not come into legal effect. These sittings will have wide plenary powers. If necessary they might completely reconsider the case - calling additional witnesses, conducting investigations, in all, carrying out a complete forensic examination.

If the prior decision is found to be unfair or groundless, the sitting of the court of appeal will have powers to substitute its decision or sentence without sending the case for a repeat investigation.

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zbekistan is able and ready to increase supplies of natural gas to Ukraine, Uzbek Prime Minister Otkir Sultonov said at the opening of the fourth meeting of the joint Ukrainian-Uzbek commission for comprehensive cooperation.

Sultonov said that his country has been supplying natural gas to Ukraine for more than one year, but the volume of these supplies "is much lower than it could be". He said that "the two sides are going to negotiate on this and to decide on the issue of gas supplies on favourable conditions".

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he Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Monday it would lend Uzbekistan a total of $663 million over the next four years to finance development projects in the Central Asian state.

The bank said the money was intended for 14 projects, to be implemented between 2000 and 2003. It said an additional $13 million would be given in the form of grants in each of the three years.

Uzbek government officials said last week the ADB had already given $213 million for 2000. The money is to be spent on education, railways, agriculture and small business development, they said.

The bank will provide credits worth a total of $130 million next year, while $160 million will be given in each of the two following years.

Uzbekistan has been a member of the ADB since 1995. It has so far received a total of $267 million from the ADB for transport, education and agriculture development projects.

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op ten international law firm Cameron McKenna (CM) has called in crisis management consultancy Regester Larkin to handle the fallout from sexual harassment allegations at the law firm's Tashkent office.

CM head of marketing Andrew Powell has hired Regester Larkin on daily time fees to assist the firm's global retained agency, GCI Group. The appointment follows the resignation earlier this year of the head of CM's operation in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Ilia Laroslavski, over a string of harassment allegations made by former staff.

On top mess, Law firm is to be quizzed by Cherie Booth (Blair) on Tuesday in the first round of an embarrassing case featuring two former employees, a Russian husband-and-wife couple who are suing for wrongful dismissal.

The Prime Minister's wife is representing the couple, Natasha Thomson and Dmitri Chebotarev, who were sacked by the law firm last year. Camerons says the two had to leave the firm because of a steep downturn in the work coming out of their Russian practice after the collapse in the rouble. The couple claim it was unfair dismissal and racial discrimination. Thomson also claims sex discrimination on the grounds she was dismissed because she is Chebotarev's wife.

The hearing is the latest embarrassment for the firm as the pair are the sixth to have filed various claims as a result of problems with the Russian arm.

Several claims of sexual harassment were filed over the actions of the ex-head of Camerons' former Soviet Union practice, Ilia Iaroslavski. The Sunday Express was contacted by an anonymous source who pointed out that police in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, had recently filed charges against Iaroslavski over forging documents. These allegations are entirely unconnected with any of the problems Camerons has had to deal with in its Russian practice. It has been revealed that Iaroslavski was not qualified to practice law with a degree from Tashkent State University. The university revealed it had no record of his attendance.

Camerons would not comment on the current claim and the problems that have beseiged the firm over its foray into Russia and the ex-Soviet Union. A spokeswoman said the firm saw no merit in the claim and was calling for it to be struck out. She said it was believed Iaroslavski had gone to Israel to be with his sick mother.

So bad have been the problems in Russia and Uzbekistan that Camerons called in George Staple, the former head of the Serious Fraud Office, and currently with Clifford Chance, to investigate all the allegations. Camerons has not revealed any of his conclusions. CM operates through 23 offices in 12 countries worldwide.

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he council of people's deputies of Saryassiya District [southern Surkhandarya Region] has held an extraordinary session. The session considered an organizational issue. Qosimjon Kholdorov was relieved of the post of head of the District at his own request. Toshmirza Qodirov was appointed head of Saryassiya District. He was nominated by Surkhandarya Region's governor, Bakhtiyor Olimjonov.

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wo players who engaged in a five-set battle at the U.S. Open recorded mixed results in their first-round matches Monday at the $525,000 President's Cup hardcourt tennis event.

Third seed Cedric Pioline of France, a semifinalist here in 1998, was knocked out by 1999 runner-up George Bastl of Switzerland, 6-1, 6-3.

Fifth seed Greg Rusedski of Britain, who lost to Pioline in the second round at New York, advanced to the second round by defeating Sargis Sargsian of Armenia, 6-3, 7-5.

Pioline is playing in only his third tournament since recovering from surgery on his left hand after a volleyball accident. The 31-year-old has won two titles this season, including the Tennis Masters Series -- Monte Carlo. He lost to eventual semifinalist Todd Martin in the third round at the U.S. Open.

One week before representing his country in the Olympics, Rusedski improved to just 13-13 this season as he looks to turn around an injury-plagued campaign. His best showing in 2000 was the semifinals of the AXA Cup in London.

In other opening-round action, Andrei Stoliarov of Russia dumped American Paul Goldstein, 6-2, 6-2; David Sanguinetti of Italy downed Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, 6-2, 6-0; French qualifier Anthony Dupuis defeated Fredrik Jonsson, 6-4, 6-2; and British qualifier Jamie Delgado outdueled Andre Sa of Brazil, 6-1, 5-7, 7-5.

Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov and newly crowned U.S. Open champion Marat Safin are the top two seeds at this event as they prepare for the Sydney Games.

Safin claimed his first career Grand Slam in convincing fashion Sunday with a dominating straight-sets victory over Pete Sampras.

The 20-year-old Safin is tied with four other players for the ATP Tour lead in titles with four. He also won at Barcelona, Mallorca, and the Tennis Masters Series event in Toronto.

Safin's triumph put him third on the ATP Champions Race 2000 leaderboard and No. 2 on the entry system rankings.

Arriving straight from New York, Safin will take on local hero and Tashkent-born Oleg Ogorodov in the first round on Wednesday.

At Sydney, Safin also will be pairing in doubles with Kafelnikov, whose poor form had the former world No. 1 questioning his participation in Australia.

Kafelnikov is still searching for his first title of the year and trying to qualifying for the year-ending Masters Cup in Lisbon, Portugal. Kafelnikov, who had previously won three titles a season for six straight years, lost in the third round of the U.S. Open. He has not reached a semifinal since June.

A runner-up in 1998, the 26-year-old Kafelnikov opens against qualifier Lovro Zovko on Tuesday.

Younes El Aynaoui of Morocco is seeded fourth while Carlos Moya is the seventh seed and Harel Levy of Israel is No. 8.

First prize $70,000.

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delegation led by Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko arrived in Uzbekistan on Monday on an official visit.

In the afternoon, the two countries' official delegations began official talks at the Cabinet of Ministers. The talks between the Uzbek prime minister, Otkir Sultonov, and the Ukrainian prime minister, Viktor Yushchenko were also held between the two delegations.

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he Australian government says a formal protest by Uzbekistan after one of its Olympic officials was banned from entering the country will not affect its decision. Tony Connolly reports Uzbekistan has sent a letter of protest over Australia's refusal to allow Gafur Rakhimov to attend the Sydney Games.

Connolly: "The federal government barred Rakhimov entry to Australia because of security concerns. The International Olympic Committee, which was angered by the move, sought and received an explanation from the government, but Uzbekistan has now lodged its own protest through the Australian embassy in Moscow. The Australian government is standing by its decision."

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's athletics coach who had 15 vials of human growth hormone confiscated from him at the airport last week has been admitted to hospital, suffering chest pains. A spokesman said the vials contained a vital medicine. Customs is still considering its position and will announce tomorrow (Tuesday) what action will be taken.

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n operations team under the emergency department has been contributing a great deal to ensuring public security and peace.

The ceremonial opening of a new search and rescue unit, Qutqaruvchi [Rescuer], was held in the Uzbek capital Tashkent on Monday. The unit's teams, containing highly skilled personnel, are empowered to provide first aid to the population of the capital and ensure them security in emergencies. The unit has been kitted out with all the necessary equipment to give prompt and high-quality emergency aid to the public.

Moreover, a workshop has been commissioned to manufacture specialist uniforms for the Emergency Situations ministry staff. It was emphasized at the ceremony that substantial funds had been spent on setting up the unit.

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uring his visit to New York to participate in the UN Millenium Summit Uzbek President Islam Karimov held several meetings.

On his way to the USA Islam Karimov made a stopover in Amsterdam. The Uzbek president was greeted at airport by a special representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and government officials. A short conversation was held on the development of bilateral relations.

The same day, on 7th September, the delegation led by Islam Karimov arrived in New York. On that evening President Karimov attended an official reception given by U.S. President Bill Clinton in honour of the UN Millenium Summit participants.

Karimov began the second day of his visit with a meeting with the chairman of the US Supreme Islamic Council, Habbani, and Sheikh Al-Hakkani. The talks turned on the current situation in Uzbekistan with regard to freedom of faith and government measures in that field. Mr Habbani praised the creative processes under way in Uzbekistan and strongly condemned the actions of international terrorists who are attempting to hamper the state's progressive development.

After the talks, Islam Karimov attended and spoke at the UN summit. The Uzbek president drew the participants' attention to the need to step up international efforts to combat terrorism and the need for a more coordinated solution to security and environmental issues. One of the focal subjects at the summit was the threat of international terrorism. At the end of the century this is constituting a problem for more than one specific region. In his address, the president also touched on UN organizational issues.

On the ending of the summit, Islam Karimov met Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer at the main UN residence. The talks considered the future of bilateral partnership.

Then, the president had a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to discuss cooperation and regional security. He also had a private meeting with US Secretary of State Madleine Albright at the Astoria hotel. The talks focused on promoting bilateral relations and resolving the issue of fighting the threat of terrorism. Afterwards, at the Plaza hotel, President Islam Karimov received the leaders of the association of Turkestan (former name of Uzbekistan) Americans. During the friendly meeting, the life of the Americans of Uzbek extraction and their contribution to the development of Uzbekistan were under discussion. That evening, a reception was given on behalf of the Uzbek president in honour of the leaders of internationally renowned companies and corporations.

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delegation led by the director-general of the British Council, David Green, has visited Uzbekistan. The British Council's representative office in Uzbekistan has been operating since 1996. The office's main tasks are to represent Britain's educational and cultural spheres and to implement English teaching programmes.

As one aspect of this activity, it should be pointed out that since 1997 more than 170 students from Uzbekistan, over 100 of them holders of bachelor's degrees and over 70 of them holders of master's degrees, have improved their knowledge and returned [from Britain to Uzbekistan]. The process of sending students to British educational institutions under this programme is continuing this year.

Further broadening of cooperation in this sphere has been discussed at several meetings with the director-general of the British Council. The aim is to improve Uzbek-British cooperation via such steps.

On September 12 David Green met with President Islam Karimov.

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he implementation of the agreement between the governments of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on travel procedures for citizens of the two republics to each others countries [visa regime], which was to go into effect as of today, 11th September, has been postponed in order for more preparations to be carried out.

The new date for the introduction of the procedures, when these are ready, will be announced through the media.

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he situation in the Batken mountains [of southern Kyrgyzstan] has remained unchanged over the past few days. In a locality known as Mazar-Baba our [Kyrgyz] servicemen have killed two out of six bearded terrorists who have been hiding out in the Keravshin uplands. There are reports that one of the fighers' commanders, the emir [as given - leader] of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Tohir Yoldoshev, has been seriously wounded.

Ordinary people are worrying about their livestock in the pastures. In total, 730 yaks, 2,335 head of cattle and 775 sheep and goats which belong to villages in the Samarkandyk rural government [in Batken Region] and 3,840 private head of cattle have been left in the Keravshin uplands. It is unknown how many of them are left and how many of them have disappeared by now. A special group has left for the mountains to find the livestock and ascertain whether it is possible to move them home.

Whilst this situation applies in the Batken mountains, at the same time there have appeared sparks of events such as could stir up the flame of discord or cause an incident between two [Kyrgyz-Uzbek] nations who live peacefully in some neighbouring Uzbek villages in Batken Region. For example, three head of cattle and one donkey which belonged to local Kyrgyz people were blown up and killed on a mine in the neighbouring Chon-Bara village of Uzbek Fergana Region on 5th September. According to the available reports, Uzbekistan has moved about 300 metres into our territory and occupied it. No border fence or notice has been put up in the area where mines have been laid. Even the local people are unaware of this. What will happen if people rather than cattle go into this area? AN investigaiton is now being carried out as to when and why a mine was laid there.

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ear Mr. and Mrs. Chairmen, Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to express my appreciation for the opportunity to speak at the Millennium Summit and focus on the issues that, in our opinion, acquire principle importance in the context of the key problems in the era of globalization being discussed in the current forum.

On the treshold of a new century the problem of international security and stability remains one of the fundamental problems of the contemporary world. The single difference is that instead of remnants and set-backs of the Cold War, international terrorism and extremism, aggressive nationalism and separatism occupy the proscenium as dangerous detonators undermining peace and stability.

Uzbekistan completely supports the principle of indivisibility of security as one of the basic UN's principles.

Nowadays, it is quite obvious that there is no and cannot be a comprehensive international security without achieving security of regions and national security of individual states.

Those who intend to create a sort of exclusive or closed security belt, trying to fence themselves from ostensibly "alien" problems, whether it refers to Europe, America or other sub-regions, are far from the real state of things as the world today is closely interrelated and indivisible.

Wars, conflicts and confrontations which sustain in the certain region or state in the course of time, and this is re-affirmed by the life itself, coalescence of the two monstrous phenome without fail go beyond these bounds and acquire cross-border and transnational character, dragging into crucible of these conflicts more and more new territories and powers.

One can witness this in the example of the Central Asian region which is at present becoming a target for expansion and aggression of the forces of international terrorism and extremism, nurturing the far-reaching ends aimed at reversing the states of this region from the ultimately chosen road of democratic and secular development as well as at establishing in their place the clerical and despotic regimes.

There is no need to prove that the war in Afghanistan that has been continuing for already more than twenty years stands as a principal source of this threat; as Afghanistan has turned nowadays into a training ground and hotbed of international terrorism and extremism and become the main source, a warehouse of the world drug production that brings gains worth of billions of dollars and feeds international terrorism.

The areas bordering with Afghanistan, and in the first instance, the states of Central Asia are being turned into one of the shortest and most suitable routs-corridors for transporting hundreds tons of heroin mainly to the countries of Europe and North America.

Through this example we may evidently see the coalescence of the two monstrous phenomena of our time - international terrorism and narcotic business.

>From this high rostrum, I would like to address the UN, the UN Security Council and international community and say: the continuing war in Afghanistan stands as a threat to security of not only the states of the Central Asian region, but this is also a threat to the whole world.

We should do our utmost in order to secure the earliest peaceful settlement of the Afghan problem and help the long-suffering Afghan people to reach a long-expected peace in their land.

Extending our support to any initiatives targeted at stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan, I would like to stress that the Tashkent Declaration on Fundamental Principles for a Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict in Afghanistan adopted in July, 1999 by the member-states of 6+2.

Group set up under the UN aegis, still retains its urgency and may lay a practical ground for a negotiation process between the main rival parties.

Along with the political measures taken in framework of the UN, it is high time to draft an extensive program of a peaceful post-conflict rehabilitation of Afghanistan, its economic and humanitarian revival.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Referring to the issues related to urgency and critical value of reinforcing the world community's struggle against the growing threat of international terrorism, Uzbekistan welcomes the proposal of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to hold in 2000 an International Conference on Counter-Terrorism within the UN's framework.

I am confident that through the joint efforts we will be able to combat terrorism and extremism only in case we launch the firght against not only its demonstrations, but also, primarily, against those international centers that possess big financial and other capacities, mobilize, direct and provide terrorists with the most up-dated means and arms.

It is even hard to imagine the situation in the world, if these forces obtain an access to the mortal means of chemical,biological and other weapons of mass destruction.

In this respect it is getting important to ensure not in words, but in practice the agreement of the G8 to eliminate the financial sources for terrorist activity.

>From this rostrum, I would like to call you to support the Uzbekistan initiative set forward in the OSCE Istanbul Summit on establishing an International Counter-Terrorism Center within the UN system.

Uzbekistan advocates a strict and unconditional fulfillment of the international regime of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament by all states. Without this, one can hardly speak about maintaining sstrategic stability neither on global, nor on the regional levels.

All these redouble the importance of the Uzbekistan initiative on creating a nuclear weapon free zone in Central Asia and require its soonest international legitimization. We highly appreciate the efforts of UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan to support the activity of the regional experts group working over completion of the regional draft Treaty on nuclear weapon free zone.

Dear participants of the Forum,

Focusing on the entire complex of regioal problems, one cannot pass over the issues of ecological security and environment.

I have repeatedly reiterated on the problems of the Aral Sea basin both in the UN and other international forums. The Aral crisis in its scales have come out the frames of the Central Asian region' its pernicious influence is tangible in changing climate and biological balance; it has negative effect on people's health and the genetic fund of future generations.

I believe that today there is no need to persuade and prove to anyone how dangerous and unpredictable the implications of the dying Aral sea on Europe and other areas of the planet may be; and to what results the indifference towards this problem ma well lead.

In order to promote international co-operation in the field of ecological securtiy and enroll finances of international institutions and donor countries, I would like topropose to set up a Council on the Problems of Aral and its Basin under the auspices of the UN Environment Program.

Mr. and Mrs. Chairmen,

The current challenges and risks require dynamic adaptation of the entire UN system and mechanisms to the complicated realities and perspectives and elaboration of the new approaches to such issues as safeguarding peace, security and stability. We understand the UN reform, first of all, as accomplishing a set of measures to enchance its role and significance in tackling regional and global problems.

In this context, in our opinion, we think it is necessary:

Firstly, to conduct a phased, gradual reforms of the UN Security Council. The number of its permanenet members should be increased both at the expense of the developed and developing countries. It is expedient to increase the number of both permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council.

As the first step in this course we propose Germany and Japan to be included to the permanent membership of the Security Council, as these countries play a significant role in international affairs and, moreover, these states at present stand as the main sponsors of the UN activites as well as numerous humanitarian and charity projects and programs.

Secondly, with an objective to make the reaction to the global and regional challenges more operative and effective, we suggest to expand the authority of Secretary General

Thirdly, to strengthen the role and responsibility of the Security Council in prevention of military conflicts, efficient application of instruments and mechanisms for peaceful settlement of confrontations and disputes, in partiular, through applcation of the so-called mechanism of "forgoing peace" in the course of settling the long-term conflicts.

In conclusion allow me to congratulate the Summit Chairmen, His Excellency Mr. Sam Nujoma, President of the Republic of Namibia and Her Excellency Mrs. Tarja Halonen, President of the Republic of Finland, on their election to this demanding post. I am convinced that our Summit will be sucessful.

Thank you for your attention. (August 8)

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he Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is not a political force, as "such a movement does not actually exist, there is only a name," Uzbek President Islam Karimov told the press after returning from the Millennium Summit in New York.

The main purpose of militants claiming to be movement members is to form a so-called caliphate, he said.

Karimov said that during his New York meeting with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, she told him that the Islamic Movement is listed as a terrorist organization and that Washington is ready to offer Tashkent political, moral and if need be material assistance.

A small group of militants from the movement broke into Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan at the beginning of August.

According to Interfax files, the movement was formed in 1996 and is ranked among the most dangerous international terrorist organizations by the US State Department. It was joined by former activists from several Uzbek Islamic organizations banned by the government. Several movement members fought on the side of the United Tajik Opposition, but after the restoration of peace in Tajikistan they fled to Afghanistan with their weapons and settled at bases there.

The movement's main purpose is to seize power in the Fergana valley and set up an Islamic state there.

In New York Karimov met the Turkish president, the Israeli prime minister and US business figures.

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he government of Uzbekistan has sent an official letter to the Australian government protesting against the decision to ban entry to Sydney for the 2000 Olympic Games by Uzbek Olympic Committee delegate Gafur Rakhimov.

A RIA correspondent reports that the Australian authorities declared on 8th September that Rakhimov was banned from entry "for reasons of security". The International Olympic Committee initially expressed discontent at the decision of the Australian authorities but the IOC later was satisfied with the Australian government's explanation for why it refused Rakhimov entry.

The letter containing the protest was conveyed via the Australian Embassy in Moscow.

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orking with National Security staff, officers of the Oybek customs checkpoint, which comes under the Tashkent city directorate of the State Customs Committee, have seized about half a tonne of narcotics.

The head of the State Customs Service press service, Abdumomin Tilavov, said that an empty KamAZ lorry was heading for Kazakhstan, when its rather capacious spare fuel tank drew the customs officers' attention. Sniffer dogs Bonni and Nik, which were trained at the national dog-training centre to sniff out drugs, took a special interest in this. After careful inspection it was found that the tank had two walls, like a vacuum flask, but between its walls was not air but about 450kg of opium and 50 kg of heroin. The approximate value of the contraband freight is estimated at 4m dollars.

Customs officers alone have foiled more than 300 attempts to smuggle drugs and seized almost 500kg of opium and 200kg of heroin since the beginning of this year.

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he President's Cup 2000 international tennis tournament opened in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, on 11th September, Uzbek TV reported. Uzbek President Islam Karimov formally opened the tournament.

The players drawn to play in the first round were Greg Rusedski of Great Britain and Sarki Sarkesyan of Armenia.

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