Policy

.. 1

President Receives Russia’s Foreign Minister. 1

President Receives President of the International Weightlifting Federation at the Oqsaroy. 1

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.. 2

CIS Foreign Ministers hold meeting in Tashkent. 2

SOCIETY.. 2

Experimental Approbation of Legislative Decisions. 2

Policy

President Receives Russia’s Foreign Minister

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov at the Oqsaroy on April 5. Russia’s top diplomat has been in Tashkent to attend a regular session of the CIS Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers.

Cordially greeting the guest, the head of our state noted that Uzbekistan highly appreciates the present level of strategic partnership and alliance relations between our two countries that facilitates a steadfast materialization of the available remarkable potential of mutually advantageous and equality-based interaction in a variety of areas.

Sergey Lavrov conveyed a friendly greeting of President Vladimir Putin who has expressed willingness of the Russian leadership in maintaining and continuing the dialogue with Uzbekistan in order to further expand the comprehensive cooperation that meets the longer-term interests of our two states and peoples.

During the conversation, the two sides exchanged views on key issues of Uzbek-Russian interaction in political, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian areas.

It was stressed that both sides are intent on firm adherence to the agreements stipulated in the Declaration of the Enhancement of Strategic Partnership adopted in Tashkent by the heads of our two states in June 2012. The document defines the priority dimensions of the future development of bilateral ties.

The meeting served to discuss interaction issues within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which is considered in Uzbekistan a unique platform for candid and confidential exchange of views across a wide range of vital themes concerning multilateral cooperation among the member nations. In this context it was underscored that the successful organization of a session of one of the foremost institutions of the Commonwealth – the Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers – in Tashkent carries a tremendous practical significance in the consistent development of multifaceted bonds.

The sides also addressed several issues pertinent to regional and international politics that concern the interests of Uzbekistan and Russia. (Source: Press service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

President Receives President of the International Weightlifting Federation at the Oqsaroy

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov at the Oqsaroy April 5 received Tamas Ajan, President of the International Weightlifting Federation and member of the International Olympic Committee.

Greeting the guest, the head of our state underlined the input and service made by the International Weightlifting Federation and personally Tamas Ajan in bolstering so popular a sport throughout the world as weightlifting as well as the Olympic movement in general.

The current visit by the leader of this international federation to Uzbekistan is taking place within the framework of the Juniors Weightlifting World Cup. This international sport competition is one of the most prestigious contests held this year under the auspices of the international federation. The cup constitutes a struggle for licenses entitling the holder to take part in the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in China.

At the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on prospects of weightlifting development in Uzbekistan, on intensification and expansion of fruitful cooperation with the International Weightlifting Federation.

Tamas Ajan noted with satisfaction that today weightlifting is one of the popular sports in Uzbekistan. It is confirmed by the triumphant performance of Uzbek athletes at Asian and Olympic Games and world championships.

The international community is informed well of the fact that fostering a spiritually and physically advanced young generation is defined in Uzbekistan as one of the most important aspects of government policy, while physical culture and sports have become an integral part of the education and upbringing system.

Tamas Ajan expressed a high regard for Uzbekistan’s growing stand in the international sports arena owing to the accomplishments and success of the Uzbek athletes in numerous types of sports. The President of the International Weightlifting Federation stressed also the high organization level of the current world championship among young weightlifters.

President Islam Karimov wished every success in the organization of competition and new sports achievements for athletes. (Source: Press service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

 

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

CIS Foreign Ministers hold meeting in Tashkent

Tashkent hosted a session of the Council of foreign ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on 5 April 2013.

Delegations of foreign ministries of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldavia, Tajikistan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine participated at the session.

The participants discussed issues, related to expanding cooperation within the organization in various areas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan said.

At the end of the session, the sides signed decisions directed at further deepening multilateral cooperation among the CIS countries.

The participants of the session decided to hold next session of the Council of foreign ministers of the CIS in Minsk, Belarus, in October 2013. (Source:Uzdayli.com).

 

SOCIETY

Experimental Approbation of Legislative Decisions

A new legal practice is being introduced into the work of the Parliament

The Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan has put forward an initiative for introduction of legal experiment – a new method for the national legal practice. The MPs initiative was supported by the head of state, and the President signed a decree which determines order and conditions of the legal experiment on the approbation of the draft Law on Openness of Activity of Public Authorities and Administration. The Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis conducted an organizational meeting of the working committee for its conduct.

Members of the working committee of the number of deputies in the Lower House of Parliament, senior officials of the governmental organs and administration, the Hokimiyats of Bukhoro and Samarqand regions, representatives of the media and civil society – discussed issues of organizational support for legal experiment, which would be held later this year in Bukhoro and Samarqand regions.

To recall, the initiative for the development and adoption of the law on openness of public authorities and administration was proposed in the Concept of further deepening democratic reforms and formation of civil society in the country. The new law defines the procedures for informing the public about the activities of public authorities, provides for better access, public associations to information about decisions, especially those that affect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of citizens. Legal experiment will test the effectiveness in practice of the provisions of the bill.

To explain: the essence of the experiment is that the bill will be tested within real activities of the public authorities and administration of particular provinces, districts and towns. Its members, in addition to governmental agencies of Bukhara and Samarkand regions are also the media, civil society, individuals and legal entities interested in receiving information about their activities. Such a method of guaranteeing the freedom of expression and information is used for the first time and, according to the participants of the meeting, will enhance the implementation of the constitutional rights of citizens in the field of information.

The experiment will also test various mechanisms of self-regulation of professional activity of journalists in order to improve its quality and effectiveness.

“We, as representatives of NGO in information sphere are very interested in that, during the rule of the experiment have been worked out, and subsequently were widely reflected in the law of the appropriate mechanisms to ensure the media and civil society’s access to information,” Chairman of the Union of Journalists Sherzod Guliamov said in his interview. “It is important that the provisions of the draft law and the regulations of the legal right to determine the responsibilities of the experiment onto the actual heads of public authorities and administration to actively participate in the processes of public information. This will create the conditions for their close relationships with the media and will be a basis for filling the national information space with relevant and reliable information.”

Indeed, in accordance with the rules of conducting the legal experiment, obligations of public authorities and administration to ensure the openness of their activity are also strictly regulated. It is established that the request of individuals and entities subject to review within a period not more than fifteen days from the date of its registration. A media inquiry on the activities of the subjects of the experiment, organizing interviews with officials considered within a period not exceeding seven days. In this case, requests for information can be made either in writing, including electronic and oral. Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

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Measures aimed at complex implementation of tasks on the bill approbation are identified. A specialized website will be created, where everyone can see the progress of the approbation of the bill, to participate in the discussion of its provisions, and the members of the media - to get an update with literature on the subjects of legal experiment. (Source: Uzbekistan Today newspaper).

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