Dear Mr. Chairman, Distinguished heads of delegations, Ladies and gentlemen,

This forum is being held at the time of unprecedented efforts taken by states and international institutions aimed at overcoming the global financial and economic crisis.

Unfortunately, the state of realization of regional and national anti-crisis programs, huge expenses for their implementation still do not guarantee stabilization of the world financial market, growth of demand and revival of economic activity in industrial sphere.

The situation is being aggravated also with that many largest countries pursue a policy of protectionism and restriction of access of goods from developing countries to their markets, despite all public assurances about unacceptability of such restrictions in trade.

Efficient overcoming of the global crisis and mitigating its consequences, in our opinion, in many ways depend on efficiency and coordination of measures taken within individual states and the world community as a whole, and first of all, on development of new rules of financial market regulation that meet modern requirements, on ensuring more rigid control over the efficient use of enormous state and corporate financial assets by transnational and national bank structures in order to avoid a new wave of inflating bubbles and a collapse in the commodities and stock markets.

I would like to say a few words about the measures taken in Uzbekistan on mitigating and neutralization of influence of the world financial and economic crisis.

For those purposes and for ensuring stability during the nineties and balanced development of Uzbekistan’s economy, our «own model» of transition from centralized plan and ideological system to the free market, which is based on five well-known principles, has played most important and key role. Another element of our success is the anti-crisis program for years 2009-2012, which is being carried out at this time.

Thanks to the taken measures, the macroeconomic stability, steady annual rates of economic growth on average of 8-9 percent, low rates of inflation and wide-scale attraction of foreign investments, increase of the real level of population incomes have been ensured in the country for over the last years.

For the first half of the year and during the 2009 as a whole, the growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) amounted to 8.2 percent.

Mister Chairman,

Speaking from this high rostrum, I would like to say briefly about the problems related to growing threats for environmental security. We mean not only the threats arising from the global warming but also the serious problems and possible accidents and risks of technological character caused by the gigantic hydro-power installations in regions, which could seriously undermine fragile ecological balance.

We speak about these problems having in mind the man-caused accidents at the largest world-known hydro-power stations and hydraulic installations caused by incompleteness in their design and operation (the example is the accident at the Sajano-Shushenskaya hydro-power station in Russia) We, who live in Central Asia, are seriously concerned that similar large hydro-installations operate today on water-flows of the largest transboundary Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers providing water to the population of all countries in the region.

An active manipulation by the public opinion and attempts to attract wide-scale investments for building of another two new largest hydro-power stations – Ragun on the Amu-Darya river and Kambarata on the Syr-Darya river, are made today without taking into account that glaciers on Pamir and Tien Shan mountains - the basic source of water for these rivers – reduce from year to year and, which is particularly important, without thinking about possible tragic consequences that might occur in case of technological accidents at these installations, knowing that these territories are under seismicity measuring 9-10 and are prone to strong earthquakes.

In this regard, Uzbekistan will continue to insist that all planned construction of largest in Central Asia hydro-power installations must be implemented only after impartial expertise made by international experts under auspices of the United Nations in order to avoid possible catastrophic consequences. Reevaluation of existing large hydro-power stations on Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers that have been constructed in the Soviet period is also of an urgent need.

Dear participants of the session,

The war in Afghanistan, where tensions have a tendency to deteriorate, today is one of the main sources of concern of the world community and, first of all, of security threats in Central Asia.

This problem and ways of its settling are, without any exaggeration, in the focus of attention of the world’s largest powers and international community.

It is not a secret anymore that the Afghan problem, which has begun 30 years ago, has no military solution. The overwhelming majority of countries involved in settling the conflict agrees with this.

It is impossible to improve and radically change situation in the country without solving such urgent issues as reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy, communications and social infrastructure destroyed by war, without involving in this process of the Afghan people, without thoroughly considered and seriously organized process of negotiations and achievement of consensus between the confronting parties, without strengthening of the vertical power structure.

It is extremely important to pay full respect to the deep historical and ethno-demographic roots of the multinational people in Afghanistan, traditional values of Islam and all confessions. That should become the major condition and a guarantee for the negotiating process.

The settlement of the Afghan problem could be facilitated by creation under the auspices of the United Nations of the Contact Group «6+3» with participation of plenipotentiary representatives of the states neighboring on Afghanistan plus Russia, the United States and NATO. President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has repeatedly emphasized that implementation of this initiative involving neighboring countries would allow achievement of an accord both in and around Afghanistan.

Mister Chairman,

The interdependence of regional and global problems necessitate close cooperation between the United Nations and such regional structures as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

In its capacity as the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Uzbekistan intends to intensify interaction between the United Nations and the Shanghai Organization by turning the cooperation into a real partnership.

In our opinion, interaction between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization should develop in such priority areas as security and stability, economic, social and humanitarian development, as well as other spheres of mutual interest.

We believe that the effective combination of the United Nations’ great experience and Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s potential will strengthen regional and international security, promote sustainable development in the countries of the region. In this regard, we call upon members of the United Nations to support a draft resolution «Cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization», which will be considered during the 64th session of the UN General Assembly.

In conclusion, I would like to confirm Uzbekistan’s commitment to developing constructive multilateral cooperation within the framework of the United Nations for solving the most topical issues of the international agenda.

I thank you for your attention.



New York, September 28, 2009