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The Silk Road in the Dimension of the XXI Century

Speech of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Askar Akaev

About... The Virtual Silk Highway

Dear members of the National Academy of Sciences, Dear Rectors, Dear Doctor Walter Kaffenberger and Doctor Robert Janz! Dear guests and friends! First of all, I would like to congratulate all who are meeting here today, as witnesses of a significant event - the opening ceremony of the International Project "Virtual Silk Highway" in the framework of the NATO Science Programme for the countries of Central Asia and Caucasus.

The start of the NATO Science Programme Project "Virtual Silk Highway" can provide high-speed and effective satellite channel access to the Internet and to the European Scientific and Educational Networks by widening the access to information resources of the Internet. The International Project "Virtual Silk Highway" can significantly increase the information exchange between the academic societies of Central Asian, Caucasian and European countries on the basis of modern satellite technologies, and effective access to the Internet and European Scientific and Educational Networks. Therefore, this telecommunication project can create a virtual information "Silk" highway and integrate academic computer networks of our country into the global information area, and thus reduce the present "Digital Divide" between industrially developed countries and developing countries.

In the past the Great Silk Road was not only a trade way but also an important road between East and West, North and South. The idea of a Great Silk Road Revival on the quite new level was my dream described in the Doctrine "Silk Road Diplomacy" in 1999. A Great Silk Road revival can create all the necessary conditions to transform our region into a zone of stability, security, friendship, collaboration and partnership. The Project "Virtual Silk Highway" is the good example of a practical realization of ideas proposed in the Doctrine "Silk Road Diplomacy" on the basis of modern information and communication technologies.

There is no doubt that the Silk Project will also serve regional co-operational development between Central Asian countries. The Communication Network of the Silk Project will stimulate collaboration between universities and academies of sciences, and development of distance learning. As you know, information technologies easily overcome national borders and spaces in a short time. Moreover, information and communication technologies must serve for national goals of country development: development of science and education, development of economy and business, creation of democracy and an information society.

Today, we will participate in a video conference with the German Research Center "Electronic Synchrotron" in Hamburg and tomorrow, so I have been informed, there will take place a video conference with the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC. So, this satellite channel of the Silk Project also can be used in the nearest future for supporting implementation of Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF) Program and National Strategy of Poverty Reduction (NSPR) in the framework of the Global Distance Learning Network of World Bank .

Kyrgyz Science and Education Computer Network.

Science and education in Kyrgyzstan will not be able to have prospects without the creation a modern information and communication net base infrastructure and providing high-speed access to resources of Internet.

At present Kyrgyzstan has the best Science and Education Computer Network in Central Asia which integrates research institutes of the Academy of Sciences and leading universities in Bishkek into a unique information computer network. And it works due to significant efforts of the President of the Academy of Management Askar Kutanov in this area. The main channels of the Academic Net have been created on the basis of high-speed fiber-optic cable channels with the data transfer speed to 100 MB per second and possibility to increase it to 1 GB/s. Connection of universities to the network backbone implemented on the basis of separate copper lines of link with the speed to 2 MB per second, but since 2003 many leading universities are planning to attach to the Net on the basis of fiber-optic cable. Separate channels for universities provide real quality of Internet connection, possibility to organize distance education and conduct video conferences. Academic Net has incomparable potential to be used as a space for distance education, to spread high-quality multi-media educational materials.

Finally I would like to note that information technologies are intended, first of all, for young people. The starting project "Virtual Silk Highway" and the linked Kyrgyz Scientific and Educational Computer Network must served as catalysts for development of the Internet-economy and creation of an information society in Kyrgyzstan. This year we are also planning to open the India-Kyrgyz Information Technologies Center and National Information Technologies Center with a grant of the Japanese Government. So, we can provide the youth of Kyrgyzstan with interesting jobs.

And now, I would like to present to Doctor Walter Kaffenberger, NATO Science Committee Computer Networking Program Director a token of our appreciation to NATO, by way of a certificate of the Kyrgyz Republic for his contribution to the development of Kyrgyz Scientific and Educational Computer Network, development and implementation of the international project "Virtual Silk Highway".

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