Former player of Dustlik and last season's top scorer Jafar Irismetov is showing a marvellous game for Spartak at CIS Champions Leagues and will probably sign a contract with the club soon and will have a chance to play in European Champions League for Spartak. In the last five consecutive matches, Irismetov scored six goals, including two in CIS Cup against Belorussian Slavia (3:1)

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To develop the economy, it is very important for the country to take part in building the transcontinental Europe-Asia bridge. To this end, the specialists of the concern have comprehensively studied the soil and climatic conditions of all regions and have determined, by means of aerial surveys, the most appropriate route for that highway, which is to meet all international standards.

The building of high-speed roads to link Andizhan, Tashkent, Nukus and Kungrad forms part of this grand project.

The first stage of the project is already complete - a feasibility study has been made. The highway is one of the biggest projects not only in Central Asia, but throughout the world. Here are some figures: the highway will link the west of the country with the east, there will be 847 bridges with a total length of 15 km, 305 flyovers, 181 vehicle parking areas and 31 medical aid and technical service stations. The designers took care about services as well - 14 hotels, 67 restaurants, camp sites and 81 filling stations will provide services all along the highway. There are expected to be 17 sites for helicopters to take off and land and hundreds of other facilities.

The design work is nearing completion. Foreign design centres also took part in it. They thought highly of the work of their Uzbek colleagues.

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There is a need for our country, with its great intellectual potential, rich natural resources and good geographical position, to occupy a worthy place in the world market as fast as possible.

To do so, our country has all the favourable conditions. The legislation adopted over the past years is bringing about positive results in the field of foreign economic activity. In 2000, the country's foreign trade turnover was 6.2bn dollars. A favourable 300m-dollar balance was achieved. Exports of goods and services were 12.8 per cent up on the previous year [1999]. The number of enterprises operating with foreign investments went up. The goods produced by these enterprises accounted for 13.7 per cent of GDP.

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team of chefs from Uzbekistan has won a raft of medals at an international cookery contest in Malta, Uzbek TV reported on 20 January.

The team walked off with the gold medal of the International Association of Culinary Professionals for their presentation of Uzbek national dishes, including the famous Uzbek pilau, or plov. The "six talented young chefs" also won a silver and a bronze medal, plus eight certificates of merit, for "their elegant preparation" of Uzbekistan's national cuisine, the report said, over clips of Uzbek pilau, noodles, horsemeat sausage and salad garnishes displayed on Uzbek ceramics.

The contest winners were later presented to Malta's president, Professor Guido de Marco, the report said, and gave him a gift of a traditional embroidered Uzbek gown.

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he results of social and economic development for 2000 and the tasks for 2001 have been considered at a meeting of the consumer goods producing and retailing panel of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Heads of associations and companies on the panel and economic specialists from these organizations took part.

As noted at the meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mirabror Usmonov, the associations and companies did, in general, achieve the major indicators planned for 2000. Over the recent period, consumer goods worth 402.3bn soms were produced, and the growth rate was 4.9 per cent up. The forecast export indicators were achieved. Foreign investment worth more than 107m dollars was utilized. The process of selling shares in joint-stock companies to foreign investors is in progress. The Ozbek Ipagi [Uzbek Silk] association and the Ozmevasabzavotuzumsanoatholding [Uzbek fruits, vegetables, vine industry holding] company have stabilized their financial state.

But the heads of sectors and related enterprises are not taking measures to increase their export potentials. As a result, enterprises making meat and dairy products and furniture-making enterprises failed to meet the forecast export targets. In some projects, the utilization of foreign investment was slow. Those in charge of sectors did not take adequate measures to increase the pace of production in kind or reduce the accounts payable and accounts receivable; the joint ventures set up are not working efficiently enough, and the work of opening trading houses outside the country is slow.

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round-table sitting was held on the final day of the traditional seminar of heads of Districts and Regions. The main topics were liberalizing the agricultural economy, deepening reform still further and increasing agricultural productivity.

The seriousness of the questions discussed at today's round-table meeting was proved by the fact that it was attended by state advisers to president Karimov, heads of ministries and departments and well-known scientists. Taking into account the results of the last agricultural season, the government has taken fundamental steps to change the situation and a clear schedule of measures for the preparatory period has been drawn up. Representatives of local executive authorities received detailed answers to their questions.

As is known, the caprices of the weather greatly affected the quantity and quality of the harvest in 2000, which is why the report by the head of Glavgidromet [Main Hydrometeorological Service] aroused a great deal of interest.

Viktor Chub, the head of Glavgidromet: "The accumulation of precipitation in the mountains feeding the Panj and the Vakhsh [the two largest rivers in southern Tajikistan flowing into the Amudarya River] stands at 70-80 per cent of the norm. Which is why we expect water levels in the Kerki area [upstream Amudarya River] to be at last year's level: 70-75 per cent. We are expecting the same water flow in Tuya-Muyun [water reservoir in Khorezm Region, southwestern Uzbekistan]. It is not more than 50 per cent of the norm. No more than 50 per cent of the norm."

The water reservoir now has 2.2 cubic kilometres less water than last year. The water accumulated in the reservoir is now 300-400 cu.m. less than in the same November-January period last year.

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же итоги экономического развития Узбекистана за 2000 г. показали, что макроэкономическая и финансовая стабильность, достигнутая в республике за последние годы, получила устойчивый характер. Выступая в прошлую пятницу на заседании Межведомственного координационного совета по реформированию экономики и инвестициям при президенте Узбекистана, президент республики Ислам Каримов заявил: "Мы уже преодолели тот тяжелый период, особенно в первые годы реформ, когда в течение года, зачастую по не зависящим от нас причинам, кардинально менялась экономическая ситуация. Тогда мы вынуждены были жить в режиме краткосрочных прогнозов". "Но сегодня в Узбекистане, - отметил г-н Каримов, - достигнута макроэкономическая стабильность, и реализуется программа структурных преобразований, осуществляется модернизация и техническое перевооружение производства, прежде всего в нефтегазовой, горнодобывающей и текстильной промышленности, формируются абсолютно новые для нас отрасли, такие, как автомобилестроение, телекоммуникации и другие, призванные стать локомотивами нашей экономики".

Одним из главных достижений Узбекистана Ислам Каримов считает то, что сегодня его республика все больше интегрируется в мировую экономику. По его словам, в экономике Узбекистана все больший удельный вес занимают совместные предприятия и все более прочные позиции приобретает иностранный капитал.

Узбекистан глубоко внедряется также и в мировую информационную паутину. В ноябре прошлого года в Ташкенте открылся бесплатный общественный центр открытого доступа в Интернет. Кстати, в странах Центральной Азии подобный центр открывается впервые. Но свободный доступ в Сеть для жителей республики этим не ограничится. В ближайшее время и в других крупных городах Узбекистана - Нукусе, Самарканде и Фергане откроются общественные центры открытого доступа в Интернет.

Сегодня Узбекистан считается наиболее благополучным государством в Центральной Азии. С 1996 г. в стране происходит экономический подъем, сопровождающийся ростом капитальных вложений. Ежегодный экономический рост в республике составляет 4,5%. Умеренно жесткая фискальная политика позволила снизить бюджетный дефицит до 2% ВВП, среднемесячные темпы инфляции - до 1,9%. Такая низкая инфляция сохранена даже несмотря на то, что с 30 июня 2000 г. президент Узбекистана ввел внутреннюю конвертацию национальной валюты - сума. При этом вопреки мрачным прогнозам некоторых скептиков в стране не только не произошла резкая девальвация национальной валюты, как это было в 1999-2000 гг. в соседних Киргизии и Казахстане, но, наоборот, сум по отношению к американскому доллару вырос на 7%.

Узбекистан постепенно из аграрной республики превращается в промышленно развитую страну. По темпам роста промышленного производства он вышел на первое место среди стран СНГ - более 130% в 2000 г. к уровню 1991 г. Благодаря этому республика добилась положительного сальдо во внешнем товарообороте.

Между тем сильная засуха лета прошлого года очень испортила общеэкономическую ситуацию в стране. Правда, благодаря государственной поддержке земледельцам все-таки удалось преодолеть последствия капризов природы. Поэтому в целом прошедший год для узбекистанских дехкан можно считать удачным.

На прошлой неделе правительство Узбекистана подвело итоги проведенной санации убыточных сельхозпредприятий в 2000 г. и определило задачи по проведению аналогичной работы в новом году. В принятом по этому поводу постановлении правительства отмечается, что в 2000 г. из 231 санируемого сельскохозяйственного предприятия 122 хозяйства, несмотря на сложные погодные условия и маловодье, добились укрепления финансового положения и создали необходимую базу для достижения экономической состоятельности. Правительство продлило еще на один год срок санации хозяйств, завершивших 2000 г. с убытками. Кроме того, 86 сельскохозяйственных предприятий, процесс финансового оздоровления которых идет с 1999 г., будут преобразованы в сельскохозяйственные кооперативы, 52 санированных в 1999-2000 гг. предприятий, не достигших положительных результатов, станут фермерскими хозяйствами.

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And the new emergency powers will force journalists to rely almost entirely on information released by the authorities in Tashkent. The anti-terrorism bill was prompted by August's violent clashes between Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan guerrillas and government troops in the Surkhandarya oblast.

Last month, Uzbek president Islam Karimov told deputies that "outbreaks of terrorism are gathering momentum". He explained that, at the present time, hired mercenaries bent on destabilising society from the inside posed the single greatest threat to national security.

"I am confident that we run no risk of invasion from the Taleban or any other army - the real danger comes from disparate groups [of terrorists]," said Karimov.

He concluded that the new bill would ensure the government was well prepared to thwart armed incursions and terrorist attacks in the future. The law establishes new definitions for terrorist activity as well as a streamlined bureaucratic and legislative system to be enforced in the event of a national emergency.

Article 20 focuses on media coverage of any "anti-terrorist operation" conducted by the state security forces. The bulk of this section is devoted to the restrictions which will be imposed on journalists during the operation. It also defines what kind of material will be deemed "classified".

Classified information includes any details of operational procedures, army units or military tactics as well as anything which could jeopardise the operation or endanger the lives of military personnel. Article 20 also bans the publication of any material which might purport to vindicate a terrorist act or serve the propaganda purposes of the enemy.

Many media experts believe the restrictions are so far-reaching that journalists will be obliged to rely entirely on the official version of events. Mikhail Ardzinov, chairman of the Independent Organisation for Human Rights in Uzbekistan, said, "If you can't print any operational details or mention who took part [in the operation] then journalists will simply have nothing to write about."

Karim Bakhriev, an expert in journalists' rights, says the law will enable the authorities to control and censor all media coverage of military operations. Any attempt to accurately report the sequence of events could be interpreted as a description of operational tactics, says Bakhriev, while the ban on so-called "propaganda" meant that journalists would be unable to present both sides of the story.

In effect, correspondents would be banned from reporting on the situation in the opposing camp or from publishing interviews with enemy leaders for fear of "vindicating terrorist acts". Journalists who break the rules risk summary punishments. Aktam Tursunov, chairman of the parliamentary committee for defence and security, said that offenders would lose their accreditation and be excluded from the area where military operations were taking place.

The regulations, he added, applied to foreign correspondents as well as members of the Uzbek press corps. Under the new law, accreditation is issued by the military headquarters in the immediate region or, in the event of a widespread operation, by the high command in Tashkent.

Mikhail Ardzinov said the new red tape would provide a further obstacle for journalists attempting to cover armed conflicts - "The journalist may well encounter delays in receiving accreditation due to the extra paperwork -- and may be refused accreditation altogether," he said.

The new law reinforces rigorous censorship enforced by the National Committee for Protecting State Secrets in the Print Media, known as Uzlit. Some committee members are so hardline that they have been known to veto publications approved by the president's own press service. The erosion of press freedoms in Uzbekistan over the last decade followed a brief flowering of the Uzbek media in the late eighties.

Uzbekistan independence at the beginning of the nineties ironically led to the demise of the press. The Tashkent authorities, which believed the Tajik media had played a part in provoking civil war in Tajikistan, introduced strict censorship for Uzbek journalists in an effort, they said, to avert a similar conflict here. As a consequence, the number of independent media began to shrink while the list of taboo subjects the press was barred from reporting began to grow.

As a journalist with the uzbek language newspaper Uzbekistan Adebieti Va Sanyati pointed out no one but official experts are allowed to publish analysis of the economic and political state of the country. By tightening its grip on free information, the government will not necessarily increase security but will certainly hamper economic and political liberalization of the country, critics if the authorities say.

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