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"The Eurasia Foundation (EF) recently launched a project to strengthen intellectual property protection in Uzbekistan, co-funded by the Microsoft Corporation and the US Agency for International Development. EF is working with the Uzbek Association of International Law to implement the project. The association will provide training and workshops for authors, copyright holders, government officials and consumers on copyright law and develop recommendations to improve legislation and regulatory procedures. 'We want to help the copyright holders learn about their rights,' said Dias Shukanov, business development manager at Microsoft Kazakhstan LLP. The association will also work with the government of Uzbekistan to improve legislative and administrative protection of intellectual property. 'If rights are not properly protected, copyright holders will not have much stimulus for further development and innovation,' said Ilkhom Khamidov, director of the project. By combating piracy and copyright infringement, the project will help protect the work of software designers, artists and others from Uzbekistan. It will also help the government of Uzbekistan comply with its international agreements, and help in its bid to join the World Trade Organisation." From UzReport.com, November 7, 2005