The delegates elected from the party councils of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, provinces and the city of Tashkent, the party faction members in the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis, the deputies of local Councils, the party activists and representatives of mass media participated at the congress.

The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov address the congress with a program speech, which has outlined the priority directions of the country’s development, intensifying the democratic processes as well as social and economic reforms.

The delegates have underscored that for over the years of independence the cardinal transformations have taken place in all spheres. The foundations of the national statehood, democratic law-governed state, and strong civil society have been laid. The country implemented the reforms on democratization and liberalization of society’s life, modernization of state, and transition to socially oriented market economy.

The participants of the congress have also noted that the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan due December 23, 2007 will become an important event in social and political life of Uzbekistan. In this context, the party believes it is the most significant objective for it to take an active part in the forthcoming elections. They are to become a serious political school for the party.

At the moment, the party unites nearly 150,000 people. Forty-one deputies elected from the party hold seats at the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis. This witnesses about that the UzLiDeP has become a serious political force, which unites and expresses the interests of entrepreneurs, business people and farmers, who are the vanguard in implementing the economic reforms, as well as in democratic renewal of the country.

The congress has adopted a decision to nominate Islam Karimov from the Movement of entrepreneurs and business people – the Liberal-Democratic Party of Uzbekistan for the post of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Ikboljon Soliev for the Information Agency “Jahon” in English