Interfax
December 11

The Thursday parliament session in Tashkent approved the appointment of Shavkat Mirziyaev as prime minister. President Islam Karimov signed a decree appointing him on Wednesday.

Mirziyaev previously held the post of governor of Samarkand region. Before that he was governor of Dzhizak region and administration head of a Tashkent district.

Mirziyaev was born in Dzhizak region in 1957, graduated from the Tashkent Irrigation Engineering and Agriculture Mechanization Institute and is a Candidate of Science (Engineering).

His predecessor, Utkir Sultanov, who was in office from December 1995, has been demoted to deputy prime minister for the engineering, metallurgical, oil and gas and chemical industries and geology.

In explaining the need to appoint Mirziyaev, Karimov told parliament that more emphasis must be placed on the country's agriculture.

"Sixty percent of the country's population reside in rural areas. The development of Uzbekistan's economy depends on its agricultural output," Mirziyaev said.

Mirziyaev is very familiar with the situation in the country's regions and its agriculture, Karimov said.

Karimov also praised Sultanov's work as prime minister, saying that he "is an experienced hand in managing industry."

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