Uzbekistan Holds Intl. Freedom of Media Seminar

TASHKENT---Uzbekistan held a two-day international seminar on “Freedom of Mass Media in Contemporary Democratic Society in June which included participants from 16 countries and international organizations. Asia-Pacific nations represented were China, Egypt, France, Germany India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Kuwait and the United States (whose delegation included AsiaNews). The event was organized by the Uzbek Institute for the Study of Civil Society and included representatives from the Central the major sessions were “Liberalization of Mass Media as an Important Condition of Democratization and Modernization,” “Freedom of Expression in a Democratic Society,” and “Implementation of Universally-Accepted Legal Norms and Democratic Standards in Mass-Media Development.” Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic, has been frequently criticized for lack of a free press.

Malaysia Wants to Turn Sarawak into ‘Rice Bowl’

SARAWAK—Malaysia will spen6 $1.3 billion to “achieve food security” and turn this Borneo state into a “rice bowl” for the nation, in response to surging agricultural prices and fears of shortages, reports the Financial Times. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said the plan to stockpile food and increase domestic production of rice, fruit and vegetables “would bring Malaysia closer to self-sufficiency,” the paper reports. Basic food prices have risen sharply recently. Rice rose to $1000 a ton globally for the first time as importers “scrambled” and exacerbated the tightness resulting from export restrictions in several other countries.

Kazakh President Makes Official French Visit

PARIS—President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan recently made an official visit to France where he met with his French counterpart Nikolas Sarkozy, Prime Minister Francois Fillon, Senate Chairman Christian Poncelot, National Assembly Chairman Bernard Accoyer and former President Jacques Chirac. The Kazakh embassy in Washington said the visit included the signing of a Kazakh-French Strategic Partnership Agreement, “covering all areas of bilateral relations and defining further prospects of cooperation.” President Nazarbayev also was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor for his “personal contribution to the development of friendly cooperation between the two nations. France also is Kazakhstan’s fifth largest trading partner and supported the Central Asian country’s successful bit for the 2010 OSCE Chairmanship.

Vietnam Hosts 5^th Intl Buddhist Conference

HANOI—Vietnam recently hosted the Fifth International Buddhist and the United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) which was attended by a reported 4000 Buddhist scholars and dignitaries from more than 70 nations. Theme of the event was “Buddhism for an Equitable, Democratic and Advanced Society.” The conference was arranged by the Venerable Prof. Dr. Le Manh That, Chairman of the International Organizing Committee and Deputy Director of the Vietnam Buddhism Institute.

USAID Lists Top Asia Accomplishments for 2007

WASHINGTON—Among what it considers its “top accomplishments” of 2007, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) includes the following in Asia:

• AFGHAN MORTALITY: Infant mortality in Afghanistan was among the wo4ld’s highest in the 1990s, but fell 22 percent since the ouster of the Taliban, largely due to U.S.-supplied vaccinations and other health care. Dr. Faizukllah Kakar, Afghan Deputy Minister of Health, said, “We are saving at least 88,000 lives a year as a result of 670 health clinics built by USAID>”

• BANGLADESH CYCLONE: In response to Cycline Sidr, USAID provided Bangladesh with $19.5 million for shelter, food, water, sanitation and hygiene during the year. Cement storm shelters USAID helped build since the l980s saved thousands of lives, the agency said.

• Under the Education Initiative of President George W. Bush, USAID trained 24,000 teachers, which it estimates improved education for 400,000 students. Approximately 245,000 junio5 secondary students and “out of school” youth received vocational training, the agency reported.