It gives me great pleasure to address distinguished readers of The Korea Herald on the occasion of the 16th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which we will celebrate on Sept. 1, 2007.

The declaration of the state independence of Uzbekistan by the President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan on Aug. 31, 1991 has become a significant landmark in the new history of Uzbekistan. The period of 16 years is small in historical terms, but over this short time, the appearance of the whole country has changed completely. The Uzbek people are full of noble plans and high ideas, and they are aiming for new achievements.

The development of democracy and institutions of civil society have become the main priority in building new life in Uzbekistan. This choice has been enshrined in the main law of the country - the constitution. It envisages that the people of Uzbekistan aim to establish a humane democratic lawful state and confirm their commitment to the ideals of democracy and social justice. In this, Uzbekistan fully realizes that given the conditions of globalization, a unique national model of advancement towards democracy which fully considers the history, traditions, rites, religion, mentality and psychology of the people must play an increasingly significant role.

In its short history Uzbekistan has been undertaking the democratic transformations that give us today the confidence to speak about the chosen path of building civil society that has become the basis of all ongoing reforms in the country.

Modernization, privatization and liberalization - these capacious concepts and values embody the core of the onward reforms in Uzbekistan. The structural transformations in the Uzbek economy are directed at addressing the problems in the sphere of effective processing of agricultural raw products and rich mineral resources, maintaining the country’s fuel, energy and food independence. The vanguard of the industrial development of Uzbekistan has become the new spheres of manufacturing such as light industry, automobile manufacturing, textile production and oil, chemical and gas processing.

Certainly, the further growth of economy is provided by the increase in the volume of capital inflows and foreign investments, which on the outcomes of the first half of 2007 rose by 1.9 times against the same period last year. About 85 percent of them have been direct investments.

The distinctive feature of modernizing, reforming, and liberalizing the country is that they are all directed at increasing the standards of the population’s life - the objectives, which have gained a special significance and urgency this year, which has been declared as the "Year of Social Protection" upon the initiative of the president of Uzbekistan. At the same time, it is deeply understood in Uzbekistan that the main goal and the pushing force of cardinal changes in the country is the person, his harmonic development and prosperity.

Within the framework of implementing the national program "Year of Social Protection" during the first half of the current year, 440,000 stay-at-home mothers with babies of up to 2 years of age, as well as 880,000 families with children of up to 18 years of age, have received allowances. Forty-four thousand less well-off families have received material aid, while 28,500 less well-off and large families have received free cattle. Two thousand and forty-nine jobs were created for the disabled. Loans worth UZS 20,4 billion ($16,035,747) have been issued to young families, including the soft micro-loans to launch one’s own business - worth UZS 10,6 billion.

Another essential direction of democratic renovation and modernization of the country has become a step-by-step liberalization of the judicial system. In this context, the measures on liberalization of criminal and criminal procedural legislation have had not only an enormous social, but also social and political importance. In accordance with legislative acts, the classification of crimes has been changed. Over 73 percent of crimes have been removed from the category of grave and heinous crimes onto the category of crimes which do not pose a considerable public threat. This has allowed broader use of the types of penalties which are not related to deprivation of freedom. Now it has become more possible to apply economic sanctions instead of detention with regard to the people who commit the crimes in the sphere of economy. The institute of reconciliation of sides has been introduced in penal legislation.

In this, the decrees of the president of the Republic of Uzbekistan, "On abolishing the death penalty in the Republic of Uzbekistan," and, "On transferring to courts the right to issue the arrest warrant," as well as the approval by the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan of the related laws, "On introducing amendments and addenda to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan with regard to abolishment of death penalty," and, "On introducing amendments and addenda to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan with regard to transferring to courts the right to issue the arrest warrant," have become a significant step in the context of gradual liberalization of the penal legislation. The adoption of such decisions in the country is a convincing proof of Uzbekistan’s commitment to the consistent path of reforming, democratic renewal and the liberalization of society, as a whole.

For over the last years, a strong political foundation has been established in Uzbekistan. The scope of opportunities for citizens to take an active part in state government has been extended; the principles of delegating the powers of citizens to the bodies of power and a multiparty system have been implemented in practice. The factions of political parties have been formed in Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan.

The constitutional law initiated by President Islam Karimov on strengthening the role of political parties in the renewal and further democratization of state governance and modernization of the country - as well as the law of Uzbekistan on introducing the amendments to particular articles of the constitution of Uzbekistan - became a logical continuation of the ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan on further democratization of society and the proof of the consistent nature of transformations aimed at the establishment and development of civil society. Thus, in accordance with the aforementioned documents, in the recent session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan the lawmakers elected the Deputy Speakers from the leaders of the political party factions represented in the Lower House of parliament.

Uzbekistan is a multinational and multiconfessional state. Currently 2,222 religious organizations and 16 denominations are active in Uzbekistan. Among the organizations 2,042 (or 92 percent) are Muslim, as 88 percent of the country’s population consider themselves to be the followers of Islam. In addition, Uzbekistan has 164 Christian organizations, eight Jewish communities, six Baha’i communities, one Hare Krishna society and one Buddhist temple.

The Constitution of Uzbekistan guarantees freedom of conscience, the right to establish and join religious organizations, equality before the law and non-interference of the state in the activities of religious organizations. The constitution prohibits the establishment of religious associations, which foment religious strife and the establishment of religious political parties. Under the Constitution, the imposition of religious views by force is not allowed. Activities aimed at converting the adherents of one faith to another (proselytism) and any other missionary activity are prohibited. Persons found guilty of violating this rule are punishable under the law.

Under the Uzbek Education Act of Aug. 29 1997, one of the basic principles of State education policy is the secular nature of the educational system. The State education system in the country is kept separate from religion, and the inclusion of religious subjects in its curricula is not permitted. Every citizen has the right to a secular education, regardless of his or her religious views.

Since the first days of independence, respect and attention to Uzbek women, raising their role and status in society, and ensuring their legal rights and interests have become one of the priorities of the country’s state policy. Practical evidence of this policy is large-scale work being carried out to create and improve the necessary legal basis, to foster women’s social and political activeness, to increase their physical, spiritual and intellectual potential, to strengthen their health and social protection, and to protect family, motherhood and childhood, as well as to provide employment and support businesswomen.

In this regard, at the president’s initiative, the country’s existing law on elections has a clause on allocating at least a 30 percent quota for women from the total number of the candidates for members of the Oliy Majlis nominated by each political party and local representative bodies. Taking into consideration the role of Uzbek women in society and the demographical situation, the national-wide Women’s Committee was recreated. This is the only organization which has social-state status and which has a vertical hierarchy with 14 provincial committees and 170 regional committees.

Uzbekistan has an ancient civilization. Thousands of archeological and arts monuments have been preserved on its territory. Since the country gained independence the attitude towards the past, national history, spiritual values and traditions has totally changed. The people’s holidays and rites are being revived; the national self-realization and dignity of representatives of all nationalities residing in Uzbekistan is being strengthened.

The celebration of landmark dates, which have become a good tradition, play an enormous role in the development of national self-consciousness and spirituality. For over the past several years, upon the decision of UNESCO the 2,500th anniversary of the world-famous ancient cities of Bukhara and Khiva, the 2,700th anniversary of the city of Karshi, and the 670th anniversary of the outstanding statesman and commander Amir Temur have been broadly celebrated.

The forthcoming celebrations of the 2,750th anniversary of Samarkand, the 2,000th anniversary of Marghilan as well as International Conference "Uzbekistan’s contribution to the development of Islamic civilization" due in Tashkent and Samarkand vis-a-vis announcement of Tashkent as the capital of Islamic culture in 2007 by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), will obtain broad international recognition and serve as convincing proof of that significant contribution of Uzbekistan and its people to the development of Islamic civilization.

In the framework of festivities of the aforesaid jubilee and landmark dates considerable work is now being accomplished on construction, repair and reconstruction of a number of sites of religious worship. Thus, in accordance with the Resolution of the president on Feb. 20, 2007, "On the support of the Khazrati Imam Public Fund", enormous work has been accomplished in Tashkent for over the record period of time - the four months - on the construction, repair and bettering this complex. Besides, improvement works are also underway in the cities of Samarkand and Marghilan on the eve of the jubilee dates.

Now, speaking about the current state of relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea, I would like to express my great satisfaction with their dynamics. Especially, it gives me pleasure to note a successful exchange of visits by the presidents of the two countries held in 2005 and 2006.

I am pleased to note, that cooperation between Uzbekistan and Korea in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian, scientific and technological fields demonstrates positive tendencies for the last 16 years. As I noted before, the economy of our country attracted foreign investments worth more than $20 billion, out of which the volume of Korean investments comprises today more than $1.5 billion. These investments are important factor of steady growth of trade turnover between our countries which in 2006 increased by 10 percent and exceeded $613 million. The number of joint ventures increased by 10 percent and reached 152.

Korean National Oil Corporation and Korean Gas Corporation, within the signed agreements, have started preparation of prospecting and exploration works on perspective investment blocks of the Ustyurt and Farghona regions. With Korean Resources Corporation we are actively working on establishment of joint venture and started joint prospecting and exploration works on exploitation of gold ore deposits on West Uchtepa field. Also with KORES we started joint works on exploitation of the Jantuar uranium deposit, which is the ever first project with a foreign company in this field in Uzbekistan.

Also, I would like to note the entry of Korean Development Bank to the Uzbek market of banking services. It is for sure a positive message for potential Korean investors. Taking this opportunity I would like to express my warmest appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Korea as well as Korean Eximbank, EDCF and KOICA for their active assistance in financing large scale social and infrastructure programs through allocation of soft loans for human resources development programs and telecommunication projects and others implemented in Uzbekistan.

To sum, the path traversed by Uzbekistan within a short time of its independent history confirms the rightness of the chosen course - the one of onward reforms, maintaining the stability of the country and prosperity of the people.

And the mainframe of this course is that the long-term and strategic task stays unchanged - that is to firmly, gradually and without a stray continue on the path of democratic building and establishing the civil society, intensifying the market reforms and strengthening the democratic reforms in the consciousness of the people.

By Vitali V. Fen Uzbek Ambassador to Korea

The Korea Herald