| March 6-March 13, 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Grigorian defends WBO lightweight title
|
|
Luebeck, Germany (AP)-Unbeaten Artur Grigorian of Uzbekistan
defended his WBO lightweight title for the seventh time, pounding out a lopsided
decision Saturday over Spain's Oscar Garcia-Cano.
Grigorian ran his record to 26-0 with 16 knockouts, winning almost every round
against the former European champion who appeared to be on his way down
several times but always came back swinging.
Grigorian, a left-hander, caught him on the ropes in the second round, rocking
him with hard lefts. But he could not drop Garcia-Cano, whose record fell to
14-2.
Garcia-Cano staggered Grigorian, 31, with a hard punch in the 12th round. But
the champion responded by pinning Garcia-Cano on the ropes and hitting him at
will to finish the bout.
Grigorian was fighting on the undercard of the WBO cruiserweight title bout,
with Cuba's Juan Carlos Gomez defending his title in a 12-round decision against
Argentina's Marcelo Dominguez.
Grigorian is a huge hero in Uzbekistan, having been voted athlete-of-the-year for
the third straight time in the country.
|
|
|
2 drug smugglers detained on Tajik-Uzbek border
| |
Two drug smugglers carrying 500 grams
of heroin were detained by Tajik border guards on Saturday. The incident
occurred in the Leninabad northern region on the border with Uzbekistan,
sources in the Tajik Border Committee told Itar-Tass.
The drugs were found in a search of two suspicious-looking men at the Kalam
check-point. Both of them -- Murod Nurmatov and Rinat Khabibov --
appeared to be nationals of Uzbekistan.
All in all, several dozens of kilograms of narcotic drugs, including about 20 kilos
of heroin, have been confiscated by Tajik border guards since the beginning of
this year. A total of 14 drug smugglers have been detained, the sources added. |
|
|
Kyrgyz police arrest suspected Uzbek terrorists
| |
Kyrgyzstan's anti-terrorist police have arrested a group of persons suspected of carrying out recent bomb attacks in Tashkent. The operation was carried out by officers from the anti- terrorist center Kalkan operating under the republic's National Security Ministry, a Ministry source told Itar-Tass on Thursday. Local secret services have not yet arrested all the terrorists who were involved in the attacks. Some still remain at large, so "their exact number and names are not revealed to the media in the interests of the case," the source said. However, the source noted that about ten people had been detained. All of them are Uzbek citizens and supporters of Wahhabism, an extremist branch of Islam. The Islamic fundamentalists who were arrested at an apartment in one of Bishkek's residential districts, offered fierce resistance to the police and attempted to escape," according to the source. Ministry officials would not comment on the arrest, but did not deny the report either. Unofficial reports said Dzhuma Namangani, one of the Wahhabi leaders in the Central Asia, threatened to retaliate for the arrest with bomb attacks in Bishkek which will be "more terrible than the Tashkent ones."
|
|
|
Turkish president to visit Uzbekistan
| |
Turkish President Suleyman Demirel is
expected to pay an official visit to Uzbekistan on March 15-16 in a bid to further
ties between the two countries.
A statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry here on Thursday said
Demirel and his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov will hold talks on the regional
and international issues as well as on the ways to develop the bilateral relations.
Demirel is also scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of a passenger bus
and truck factory which was set up by the Koc Holding, a leading Turkish firm,
in Samarqand.
During Demirel's visit, the Turkish-Uzbek Business Council will convene to
explore opportunities to boost the existing economic relations and raise the trade
volume between the two countries.
Turkey has been showing interest in developing ties with the Central Asian
countries following the collapse of the Soviet Union. |
|
|
Uzbekistan starts sowing 1999 cotton, aim for 4.0 mln. t
| | Uzbekistan hasbegun sowing 1999 cotton, beginning in the south, and aims toproduce four million tonnes compared with last year's 3.22 million, a spokesman forthe Agriculture Ministry said on Friday. "People have begun to sow cotton in the Surkhandaryaand Kashkadarya regions," he said. "The overall gross crop should reachfour million tonnes." Farmers are sowing early in the southern regions, usingplastic covering as a way of protecting the seeds. The main sowing campaign isexpected to begin after March 20 and end at the end of April. Cotton is expected to cover 1.5 million hectares in1999, unchanged from last year, 301,000 of which would be under plastic cover. A mild winter could help the cotton campaign in theCentral Asian state of 23 million people, the spokesman said. "This year the (mild) winter was very favourable forthe preparation of the land," he said. "Forecasters are saying that in March andApril precipitation will be around normal, or at least at levels which suit cotton." Last year's crop was the lowest for 20 years, and theimpoverished state will be hoping for a strong recovery. The cotton industry is a vital hard currency earnerunder the strict control of the government. |
|
|
Meeting with Shevardnadze was "constructive", says Karimov
| |
Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov, speaking at a news conference in Tashkent on the results of the two-day working visit by the Georgian head of state to the Uzbekcapital, said on Tuesday that "the meeting with Eduard Shevardnadze was very substantive and constructive for me". Karimov stated that during the meeting on Tuesday whichlasted over two hours instead of the planned one hour, passed in an informal and friendly atmosphere. He discussed with Shevardnadze
development of relationsbetween the two republics and cooperation within the Commonwealth of Independent States, problems of regional and international security,including the situation in Kosovo and Afghanistan. In turn, the Georgian president noted that during themeeting, the sides paid much attention to bilateral economic cooperation, including transportation between the two countries and the use of Georgian portsby the Uzbek side. "I had full understanding and agreement with my Uzbekcounterpart on all questions under discussion," Shevardnadze noted. "We decided to make such informal and working visits regular."
| | | Karimov promises severe trial of assassins
| |
Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov said on Tuesday that the organizers of the recent assassination attempt on his life are facing a severe trial, "without forgiveness or pity." Karimov, who was speaking at a news conference, addedthat Chechens were not involved in the attack. "I only have respect for the Chechen people," he said when commenting on statements alleging that theterrorists involved in the February 16 attack in Tashkent were trained at Chechnen subversion centers. "I state clearly and unequivocally that in Uzbekistan,we do not assume that Chechens have something to do with the criminals who committed the act of vandalism in our capital," he said. "We treat properly and with friendliness the Chechens,"Karimov said, "as any other people living on the Russian territory." However, he emphasized that unlike Chechnya, Uzbekistan does not intend to build a Sharia state. "We will never embark on the road to build an Islamic, Sharia state in Uzbekistan," Karimov said, stressing that "any attempts aimed at that direction will be futile and senseless not only because I, Islam Karimov, am opposed to (building) an Islamic state. It is opposed by the entire 24-million Uzbek people, who entrusted me with their fate." "We will continue to build a secular, independent, democratic and civilized state, where freedom, human rights, peace and accord will reignin each Uzbek home," Karimov said. The Uzbek leader warned the organizers of the crime, who he said "are abroad" that they will not escape retribution. "They are not an opposition to incumbent Uzbek authorities, as they call themselves. They just veil their unconstitutional struggle for power -- through terrorism and religious fanaticism -- with talk about the fate of the people, democracy and sovereignty," he said. Their myrmidons, who committed acts of terror which claimed human lives, will soon be brought to justice. "The trial will open andjust, in line with the letter and spirit of law, without forgiveness or pity," Karimov said. |
| | Uzbekistan, Georgia to cedefrom CIS security deal, not CIS
| |
The leaders of Uzbekistan and Georgia stated on Tuesday that their countries are planning to withdraw from the collective security treaty of the Commonwealth of Independent States, but not from the CIS itself, which comprises 12 former Soviet republics. Uzbek President Islam Karimov who met visiting Georgian leader Eduard Shevardnadze, said at a joint news conference that "our position, as stated by the Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry, remains in force. In April, when the CIS heads convene for a summit, Uzbekistan will have its say as regards the prospects of its being a party to the collective security treaty or not." Karimov criticized the big stir around his country's plans. "Why were there so many talks of various kind about the issue when Uzbekistan, Georgia and Azerbaijian announced their intention to withdraw from the treaty, and why does the fact that Ukraine, Moldavia and Turkmenia, who are not signatories to it, cause no excitement?" he said. Shevardnadze emphasized that "to be or not to be in the treaty is up to each CIS state. We should have a complete freedom of choice. Our position coincides with that of Uzbekistan." "It will be a different issue if this treaty can be adapted to the situation in the CIS that has developed at present and if such a treaty is necessary in the national interests of the Georgian states," Shevardnadze said. "One thing is clear now -- the currently existing collective security treaty does not suit us. It is absolutely ineffective. No treaty will exist if its signatories mistrust each other," he added. At the same time, the Georgian leader said the"withdrawal from the collective security treaty is not a tragedy within the CIS framework. Any attempts to link such a withdrawal with a blow to the prestige of the CIS are primitive thinking by certain people." "Some people still forget that the former Soviet republics are sovereign and independent states, and each of us is the master of his own destiny, not somebody else who can dictate us his terms." Shevardnadze said. Also at the press conference, the Uzbek president said his republic was ready for bilateral cooperation with Russia in all fields,including the military one. "Our bilateral treaty with Russia has been and remains effective. We have been friends and will maintain friendship henceforth. But I wish Russia to see Uzbekistan as an equal partner," Karimov said. "We watch with special interest the situation in Russia, as we are far from being indifferent to who will be elected the head of the Russian state at the 2000 polls," he noted. "Russia's relations -- not only with Uzbekistan, but also with other CIS states -- will much depend on who will stand at Russia's helm,"Karimov said adding that he is a stanch supporter of closer ties with Russia.
|
| |
Uzbek President meets visiting Georgian President
| | Uzbek President IslamKarimov has met his Georgian counterpart Eduard Shevarnadze in Tashkent on Tuesday where one-on-one talks between the two presidents were held. Shevarnadze has been on a working visit to Uzbekistan for two days. Sources from the Georgian Embassy in Uzbekistan told Itar- Tass that apart from problems of bilateral cooperation, the leaders of the two countries would discuss a wide range of problems of a regional and international character. The two presidents are expected to discuss the progress of implementation of 50 bilateral agreements adopted earlier. After talks held one-on-one scheduled to continue for one hour the two presidents will begin talks in a broader format as a result of which a protocol will be signed in connection with a working visit to Uzbekistan paid
by the Georgian president. Upon completion of the talks the two presidents are expected to give a joint press conference. On Tuesday afternoon Shevarnadze plans to return to Tbilisi.
|
| |
Shevardnadze arrives in Uzbekistan on visit
| |
Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze on Monday arrived in Uzbekistan on a two-day working visit. On Tuesday morning, Shevardnadze is due to have a one-to-one meeting with Uzbek President Islam Karimov. An informed source at the Georgian Embassy in Tashkent told Itar-Tass that the two leaders will discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including fight against terrorism and aggressive separatism, regional and global security. The source stressed that Shevardnadze and Karimov will also touch on CIS reform. After theone-to-one talks, the two presidents will be joined by their delegations. The two sides are expected to sign a protocol on the results of Shevardnadze's visit to Uzbekistan. The Georgian president is scheduled to fly back to Tbilisi on Tuesday afternoon.
| E-mail me on: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||