To mark the 15^th anniversary of its independence (from the former Soviet Union), the embassy of Uzbekistan, among other things, hosted a briefing recently to discuss the Central Asian country’s foreign and domestic policies, administrative and judicial reforms and measures taken by President Islam Karimov to “keep and restore the cultural, spiritual and religious values of the Uzbek people.”  Those attending the briefing included representatives of the U.S. government, political and business organizations and the media, including this columnist.  Uzbek Ambassador Abdulaziz Kamilov, referring to recent tensions between Washington and Tashkent, diplomatically referred to a “pause” in those relations.  He and other speakers agreed that they hoped the “pause” would be temporary. 

U.S. Backing Trade, Development for Kazakhstan

In neighboring news, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian affairs says Washington’s wants to encourage trade and development in another Central Asian country, Kazakhstan, as well as more political reform.  Washington Times “Embassy Row” columnist James Morrison reported that on a recent visit to the former Kazakh capital of Almaty, Evan Feigenbaum said, “The best guarantor of Kazakhstan’s future is a prosperous, stable and democratic society where all citizens have a stake in political reform.”  He also said the U.S. wants to help Kazakhstan create “a genuine democracy and a robust economy based on energy exports and trade with other nations in the region, especially Afghanistan.”  But, he added that democratic reform is essential to the advancement of prosperity.  The U.S., Feigenbaum said, would like Kazakhstan make “concomitant political reforms that will establish the democratic institutions fundamental to stability and the orderly transfer of power when President (Nursultan) Nazarbayev completes his current term in 2013.”  The State Department official observed that Kazakhstan has made “great progress” in other areas.  The country “today stands as a model of religious tolerance.  Interethnic conflict is largely absent.  Rapid economic growth has erased most of the ground list over the past 15 years, and the country is on the cusp of immense prosperity.”

UM Delegation Meets with Chinese Counterparts

On his recent visit to communist China, University of Maryland President C.D. Mote, Jr. and other school officials met with Chinese university and government representatives to sign several agreements and plan future visits and activities.  Chuan Liu, professor of physics and director of the university’s Confucius Institute, signed an “operational agreement” for 2007 with Hanban, China’s National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language.  The university reports that Beijing Normal University faculty members with expertise in linguistics and “second language acquisition” expressed interest in teaching at the Confucius Institute.  In a meeting at the Ministry of Science and Technology, President Mote and Minister Xu Guanhua continued planning for the U.S.-China Science Park in College Park, Md.  At Beijing’s Tsinghua University, opportunities for faculty collaboration in aerospace and mechanical engineering, computer science and nanotechnology were discussed.  Nariman Farvardin, dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering, plans to visit Tsinghua this month to explore these opportunities.  Tom Kunkel, dean of the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, plans to purse exchanges with Tsinghua in human rights, media literacy and civil society.   The journalism school also will work with the Zhejiang Institute of Media and communications on developing a media park south of Shanghai.  The UM delegation also discussed the plans of Sichuan University (SU) plans to send exchange students to Maryland and to host UM students in Chengdu, China’s fifth largest city, in the country’s far west, bordering Tibet.  SU’s location offers special opportunities to study environmental science, anthropology, archeology and history.  And a UM is planning a Study Abroad program focusing on pandas and their environment.

US-Indonesia Society Plans 1^st Midwest Trade Mission

The Washington-based United States-Indonesia Society (USINDO) is planning its first Mid-West Trade Mission to Indonesia, the main objective of which is to “create new and stronger business and institutional relations,” the society has announced.  One of the other purposes of the trip is to match the economic benefits of doing business in Indonesia, especially in the Special Economic Zone of Batam, Bintan and Karimun, with the needs and strengths of the U.S. Midwest.  For more information, contact Rob Heuermann, Executive Director of the World Trade Center St. Louis at rheuermann@slcec.com or 314/615-8141, or Larry Taylor of Aziotics LLC at larrytaylor@aziotics.com or 314/863-3303.  In Washington, the email address is program@usindo.org.

Md.-China Business Group Holding 2^nd Women’s Conference

The Washington-based Maryland-China Business Council, Inc., which promotes opportunities for “business understanding and activity” between the U.S. and communist China, is holding its second annual America-China Women Business Leaders Conference Monday through Wednesday, October 2-4, at the Montgomery County Conference Center and Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Md.  For more information, visit www.mcbc.net or call 202/293-6866.

35 AP Countries Represented in New East-West Center Class

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. has, among many other things, its “long gray line,” as the corps of cadets is called.  Well, now the East-West Center (EWC) in Honolulu has what it calls its “long diverse line.”  Among the 135 new students this year, according to the center, are those from some 35 Asia Pacific countries.  One, Noora Michael from India, said he was “immediately struck by the diversity” at the center.  He added, however, that within all that diversity, “We share a common bond...we have a common or shared identity…”  Another, Shan Jin an architecture student from communist China, said that, “Even through we are from many countries, we have quickly become part of one family…that is an important thing I will take with me when I return home.”  A fellow Chinese, journalism student Yang Hai Yun, agreed, saying, “I hope to learn a lot more about other cultures during my time at the East-West Center…that knowledge will help me improve my professional skills.”  The new arrivals, the EWC says, include degree students, from undergraduate to Ph.D.-level while attending the University of Hawaii, and non-degree fellows enrolled in the center’s Asia Pacific Leadership Program.  Participants in the APLP will, EWC Dean of Education Mary Hammond said, “be trained to exercise leadership and promote cooperation in a variety of cultural, geographic and institutional environments.”

U.S. Envoy to Delhi Praises Nuclear Accord

In a recent speech at the Washington think tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI), the U.S. ambassador to India, David Mulford, praised the Civil Nuclear Agreement signed by the two nations.  India, he said, has put in place new antiproliferation legislation and is working with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear suppliers Group of countries.  “In the end,” Mr. Mulford said, “we will need to make a fundamental judgment based on this agreement and the long-term interests of the United States.”  But, he added, “I believe this agreement will strongly serve U.S. national and global interests.  It will strengthen the wo5ld’s nonproliferation regime, help address India’s real and growing energy needs and recognize the new reality of India.”