President of Uzbekistan receives the OIC Secretary General

On August 13 this year in Tashkent the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.

Welcoming the guest, President is reported to have said: “Your visit and participation in the international conference o­n contribution of Uzbekistan to the development of Islamic civilization makes the event even more important.”

Uzbekistan has been a member of OIC since 1996. The organization supports initiatives of President Karimov aimed at addressing the Afghan crisis and establishment of the Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia.

OIC also highly values the activities of the Uzbek Leader along the path to revive spiritual and moral values, and study of the rich historical, scientific and cultural heritage.

Uzbekistan’s cooperation with OIC structural division, Islamic Development Bank, is also o­n the rise. Nine projects worth a total of USD 115 million are currently being implemented in the fields of equipment of medical and educational institutions, modernization of enterprises and support of the private business.

Last month the OIC delegation signed agreements o­n opening the credit lines to Uzbekistan’s Ipoteka Bank, Uzsanoatqurilishbank and Asaka bank for USD 15 million. The credits will be used for financing the private investment projects in industry and agriculture.

Another structural subdivision of OIC, Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), announced Tashkent the Capital of Islamic Culture in 2007.

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said ISESCO had announced Tashkent the capital of Islamic culture taking into consideration Uzbekistan’s policy of preservation of national heritage and cultural values, monuments of Islamic civilization and the role of Tashkent as o­ne of the region’s most ancient and large cities.

The international conference opening today in Tashkent will provide the world community with another opportunity to learn the rich heritage of the Uzbek people, the OIC Secretary General said.

During the meeting, the sides also discussed the current state and prospects of relations between Uzbekistan and the Organization of Islamic Conference, as well as considered other issues of mutual interest.