Bakhtiyar Rakhimov, secretary general of the Uzbekistan Football Federation, said on Wednesday that Salkov's contract as coach would start next month and run until the 2002 World Cup finals. Salkov, who was sacked as Russia's assistant coach two years ago, replaces Yuri Sarkisyan following Uzbekistan's dismal showing in the Asian Cup finals in Beirut two months ago.

Uzbekistan, the only former Soviet Central Asian republic to qualify for the finals, managed just one draw from three first-round matches.

In the other two games, they went down to Saudi Arabia 5-0 after being crushed 8-1 by Japan.

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The Pakhta Bank joint-stock and commercial bank, which is one of the largest banks in the republic, is stepping up its work to attract foreign investment to the Uzbek economy. In recent years the bank's prestige has risen in the world market. The fact that it has taken a full part in various international financial forums is evidence of this. The holding of the assembly of the international confederation for allocating credits to the agricultural sector in Tashkent produced positive results. This made it possible for Pakhta Bank to strengthen its international links.

An agreement was signed recently with the German DG Bank, which specializes in allocating credits to the agricultural sector in Frankfort am Main, Germany. Under the agreements signed, funds worth 25m euro will be aimed at developing small and medium-sized enterprises in Uzbekistan's rural areas.

The head of the DG department for relations with Central and Eastern European states, Gerhardt Eisemann, said that they intended to develop their relations with Pakhta Bank on a long-term and full basis.

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regular telephone conversation took place on Thursday between President Saparmyrat Turkmenbashy Niyazov of Turkmenistan and President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan. The Uzbek president warmly congratulated Saparmyrat Turkmenbashy on the sacred Ramadan holiday and on the upcoming new year.

As the two presidents emphasized, there are no unresolved or disputed matters between the two states which are capable of sullying the centuries-long relations between the two neighbouring peoples, relations based on their historic, ethnic, religious and linguistic community.

In this connection, Saparmyrat Turkmenbashy and Islam Karimov recalled their unanimous view that the interstate agreement on delimitation and demarcation of the Turkmen-Uzbek state borders, signed during the Uzbek president's recent visit to Ashgabat, is a major factor in strengthening goodneighbourly relations between the two countries and development of all-round comprehensive cooperation in the interests of both peoples.

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12-year-old schoolgirl from Tashkent is taking part in an international expedition to Antarctica to mark the third millennium. Two Uzbek sportsmen are also taking part in the expedition, organized by the United Nations as part of a project entitled "The future of the world in the millennium" under the slogan "For the planet without drugs".

On 1 January 2001 at 0000 gmt - that is, when the third millennium begins on earth - they will solemnly raise the blue banner of the UN in Antarctica.

Then under the national anthem of Uzbekistan, a flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan will be raised. A US news company in Uzbekistan is providing the expedition with information and the action is also supported by Uzbekistan Airways and the Uzbek-American Coscom communications company.

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