Uzbek president decrees boost in information network and appoints a new deputy prime minister

Uzbek newspaper 'Pravda Vostoka'
June 1

On 1 June, a presidential decree "On further developing computerization and introducing information and communication technologies" was publicized.

The decree, signed on 31 May, said that its purpose was "to form a national information system, to introduce modern information technologies, computer and telecommunication facilities on a large scale and to make use of them in all sectors of the economy and public life, to satisfy citizens' growing information needs more fully and to create favourable conditions for entering the world's information community and expanding access to the world information network". It went on to enumerate a number of measures to achieve this end.

The decree also set up a coordination council on developing computerization and information communication technologies. It will draw up a national programme for developing the telecommunications and data transfer network over the period 2003-2010.

Under the decree, the Tashkent Electrotechnical Institute will be transformed into the Tashkent University of Information Technologies.

It also said that the importing of computer technologies would be exempt from customs payments until 1 January 2006.

This new presidential directive will be carried out under the supervision of Managing Director of the Uzbek Agency of Post and Telecommunications Abdulla Oripov, who has been appointed by a presidential decree as a deputy prime minister of Uzbekistan and head of the complex on issues of communications and information telecommunication technologies.