Как заявил на пресс-конференции в Ташкенте заместитель генерального директора “Узбекнефтегаза” Асрор Абидов, на продажу будут выставлены 44 процента компании “Узнефтепродукт” и по 39 процентов в компаниях “Узнефтегазмаш”, “Узнефтегазстрой” и “Узнефтегазснабжение”. Начальная цена этих пакетов на аукционе определена, соответственно, в 54,65 млн, 975 тысяч, 1094 тысячи и 424,7 тысяч долларов США.

По словам Абидова, предварительная договоренность о покупке пакета акций компании “Узнефтегазснабжение” достигнута с польской Rolpol M&M, а “Узнефтегазстрой” - с украинской “УкрАзияСтрой”.

На следующем этапе стратегическим инвесторам будут предложены 49 процентов в самом холдинге, по 44 процента – в его дочерних компаниях “Узтрансгаз” и “Узнефтегаздобыча”, а также по 39 процентов в компаниях “Узбернефтегаз” и “Узнефтепереработка”.

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Texts on planned economic reform and preparations for the 10th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence dominate the school reading lists. Baffled children are turning to their increasingly exasperated parents to explain the difference between a king and a president, or why Uzbekistan's political system is superior to say Kazakstan's.

"Our teacher demanded we tell her what we know about the president of Uzbekistan!" one distressed little girl told her mum.

During the early years of independence, the Uzbek authorities strove to rid society of Soviet-style ideology. But these efforts resulted in something of a vacuum. In an effort to fill it, the government began elaborating a national ideology based around the republic's independence. President Islam Karimov's writings on the state and society, together with the thoughts and beliefs of historical figures, formed the basis of the new ideology.

Various instructions, guidelines, decrees and orders, outlining what to study and how, began to proliferate. Even pre-school nurseries were directed to teach the basics of this national ideology. All children must learn the national anthem and become familiar with the principles of the constitution. They should know the name of the head of state, his place and role in society and the role of government.

Six and seven-year-olds, only just getting to grips with their ABCs, are now burdened with an enormous amount of dense political literature.

"Our children are going through psychological trauma," said Tashkent nursery-teacher Irina Vasilieva. "Children can't understand all these complicated concepts. They're not even easy for adults."

Child psychologist Sergei Tajikhanov believes forcing children to study literature they are simply too young to grasp will produce dysfunctional citizens, not patriots. School inspectors seem less interested in everyday admin and pedagogical problems than in whether the children can perform the national anthem and recite the rights and duties of the individual.

Children continue to learn simple poems and songs, and dance and play in the playground, but less and less time is devoted to such activities. Instructions from the department of education, a teacher complains, stress more emphasis needs to be given to the political education of the next generation. In higher education, political education is a key subject and the works of Karimov are central to teaching in this sector. No other author receives as much attention.

Uzbekistan is meanwhile embroiled in another controversy. The state is busily destroying books printed prior to independence. Famous philosophers, historians and writers, old and new, have been targeted. Despite their contributions to world science and culture, a failure to glory in the independence of Uzbekistan has rendered them, in the official view, harmful to the Uzbek people.

Sociologist Bakhodyr Musaev believes the government is intent on "brainwashing society".

"It's more dangerous than the indoctrination of people during the Bolshevik years," said Musaev. "The authorities are trying to find spiritual support for people by looking back into the Middle Ages, using names of philosophers of that time. But how can you build modern society based on the principles of feudalism."

Meanwhile, Uzbek schoolchildren start the day with a performance of the national anthem and a flag raising ceremony. What should be a solemn and special moment is reduced to a tiresome and boring chore. Perhaps more serious, however, is the general politicisation of life in Uzbekistan at all levels, not just in schools. Critics claim the state's selection of employees has become a farce.

Candidates are not quizzed on their qualifications and experience, but are asked to sing the national anthem, to explain the elements of the flag, and to display their knowledge of Karimov's writings. Those who fail either don't get a job or are first out the door when cutbacks hit. Science has been particularly badly hit. Undergraduates have first to pass an exam on the works of Karimov before being allowed to defend their dissertation or sit their other exams. A paper fails unless it contains quotes from Karimov. Officials from the presidency conduct the exams, not academics.

Pluralism is now out of the question in Uzbekistan. A student will fail should he or she venture opinions out of step with the official view. Science is especially persecuted and resembles more and more the one-sided, conservative discipline it became in Soviet times.

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Он подчеркнул, что "для того, чтобы провести такого уровня встречу президентов пяти стран, необходимо согласовать все графики визитов всех пяти президентов. И это действительно сложный процесс".

По словам С.Бороденкова, вполне возможно, что сроки очередного саммита ГУУАМ будут "немного перенесены". "Но саммит состоится. Есть подтверждения почти всех стран об их согласии на проведение этого саммита", - заявил представитель МИД.

Каспийское информационное агентство распространило вчера информацию со ссылкой на дипломатические источники о том, что встреча глав государств-членов ГУУАМ намечена на 5-7 июня в Ялте (Украина).

Как сообщалось ранее, проведение очередного саммита ГУУАМ было намечено на март текущего года, однако в начале февраля МИД Молдовы и Азербайджана обратились к украинской стороне с просьбой перенести сроки проведения саммита. Окончательная дата проведения саммита стран-участниц ГУУАМ продолжает согласовываться сторонами.

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Oxus Mining, which is floating on the Alternative Investment Market next month, is raising Ј10m to finance recovery of gold from the barren tracts of Amantaytau.

The project has huge significance in Uzbekistan where the government has a 50% stake in the development and sees fundraising in London as a test of its financial and political credibility.

Exploration veterans Roger Turner and Richard Wilkins launched Oxus from a pub in Knightsbridge in 1996. Backers, who include Lonmin and Equitable Life, have already pumped Ј25m into the venture. The flotation* will value the company at around Ј45m.

The quest for riches is centred on the Amantaytau goldfields in Central Uzbekistan, close to a state-owned mine that has already produced 45m ounces of gold.

The project will be developed in two phases. Initial work is based on operating costs of $113 an ounce, compared with a current market price of $269.

Start up is planned for the second half of next year with first full-year production expected to be about 170,000 ounces.

Altogether, three projects in the area contain reserves estimated at 2.9m ounces of gold as well as deposits of silver, zinc, copper and lead.

Like all mining ventures it is, at this stage, speculative.

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It is expected that privatization of the Uzbek Oil and Gas national holding company and its subsidiary companies will be announced by the country's government at a conference on oil and gas that will be opened at the Intercontinental Hotel tomorrow.

This was announced to the representatives of the state and foreign media at a news conference on Tuesday. Over 200 representatives of the oil and gas industry will attend the conference. It is sponsored by the Uzbek government and the British ITE group. Foreign investors are ready to participate in the privatization of Uzbek oil and gas and its subsidiary companies.

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Sadyk Safayev, former Uzbek ambassador to the USA, has been appointed first deputy foreign minister, the Uzbek president's press service told Interfax on Tuesday [15 May].

Khamrakulov was previously Uzbekistan's ambassador to Belgium and Chief of Missions to EU and NATO.

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Having welcomed Mr Minaguchi to Uzbekistan, President Islam Karimov said the Keizai Doyukai organization was well known as one of Japan's prestigious organizations that united leading businessmen of Japan. The fact that this is the organization's third visit to Uzbekistan in the past three years bears witness all the more to the fact that Japanese businessmen's trust and interest in Uzbekistan is growing. In this respect, President Karimov said that Mr Koichi Minaguchi is especially honoured in Uzbekistan as a close friend.

The head of the Japanese delegation, Koichi Minaguchi, expressed his gratitude for the reception and said that Uzbekistan occupied a special role in Central Asia, and said that the visit was aimed at strengthening the relations between the two countries. In his speech he expressed his satisfaction that democratic reforms and market economy principles were proceeding step by step in Uzbekistan.

During the talks the sides discussed widening the cooperation between the Keizai Doyukai Japan Association of Corporate Executives and Uzbekistan.

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The founding conference of the new movement took place in Tashkent on 25 April. Six hundred delegates from all regions of the republic attended the conference. Participants in the conference adopted the programme and the charter of the new public movement and elected its governing bodies.

"The main goal of the movement is uniting young people, raising them on the basis of the requirements of a healthy lifestyle, assisting them in finding a proper place in society, universal protection of their interests, and organization of the conditions that are necessary for the full realization of their intellectual potential," the programme reads.

At the moment, Uzbekistan has four officially registered political parties and two public movements (Birlik and Kamolot).

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A packet of 44 per cent of shares in Uznefteprodukt and packets of 39 per cent of shares in Uzneftegazmash, Uzneftegazstroy and Uzneftegazsnabzheniye have been offered for sale on the currency section of the exchange, with starting prices of 54.65m dollars, 975,000 dollars, 1.094m dollars and 424,700 dollars respectively, he said.

According to Abidov, preliminary agreement has been reached with the Polish company Rolpol M&M for the acquisition of 39 per cent of Uzneftegazsnabzheniye and with Ukrainian UkrAziaStroy for 39 per cent of Uzneftegazstroy. He reminded that at the moment preparations are under way for the privatization of Uzbekneftegaz and its subsidiaries.

In the near future it is planned to sign a contract with an international consortium headed by French BNP Paribas, which won a tender to select a consultant for the privatization of the Uzbek oil and gas industry.

The consortium should estimate the assets of the holding company and prepare tender documents for the sale to a strategic investor of shares in the holding company and in its subsidiaries, within a year and a half.

It is planned that 49 per cent of Uzbekneftegaz and also 44 per cent of shares in its subsidiaries Uztransgaz, Uzneftegazdobycha and 39 per cent of Uzburneftegaz and Uzneftepererabotka will be sold to a strategic investor.

Uzbekneftegaz was set up in 1998 and unites eight companies. The holding company has charter capital of 1.555bn dollars. Uzbekistan has 171 deposits of oil and gas. Explored reserves at these deposits exceed 3.5bn tonnes.

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