Oman to Fund a New Library in Uzbekistan: The ‘Abu Alraihan Albairuni’ library

7 October 2009 MUSCAT — A new library at the Oriental Studies Institute in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent will be built with funds provided by the government of Oman, according to an agreement signed between the two countries on Monday, the second and final day of an official visit here by Islam Karimov, the President of Uzbekistan.

The ‘Abu Alraihan Albairuni’ library will house more than 26,000 manuscripts, 85,000 historical messages, most of them in the Turkish, Uzbek and Farsi languages, as wells as 10,000 manuscripts in Arabic, currently in the possession of the institute.

Most of these rare documents date back to the 17^th and 18^th centuries. UNESCO has listed them in its World Heritage List as there are no similar copies anywhere else in the world.

The accord was signed by National Economy Minister of Oman Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki and Vladir Norov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of 
Uzbekistan.

Several other deals were also concluded between the two countries including regularising air transportation and to promote cooperation 
in tourism.

The two leaders, during the meetings, also exchanged views on the 
latest developments at the regional and international levels, an official 
statement said. [source: Khaleej Times Online

ravindranath@khaleejtimes.com]

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