OREANDA-NEWS. On August 13, 2007 President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in Tashkent, reported the Presidential website www.gov.uz.

Welcoming the guest, the head of the state said: “Your visit and participation in the international conference on Contribution of Uzbekistan to 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 solving the Afghan crisis and creation of nuclear weapon free zone in Central Asia.

OCI also highly values the activities of the President of Uzbekistan on the way to revive spiritual and moral values, and studying the rich historical, scientific and cultural heritage.

Uzbekistan’s cooperation with OIC structural division, Islamic Development Bank, is also developing intensively. 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 private business.

This July OIC delegation signed agreements on opening credit lines to Uzbekistan’s Ipoteka Bank, Uzsanoatqurilishbank and Asaka bank for USD 15 million. The credits will be used for financing 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 of 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 in Tashkent on 14 August will provide the world community with another opportunity to learn the rich heritage of the Uzbek people, the head of OIC said.

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