Former Uzbek Prime Minister Sultanov dies

Uzbekistan's government announced on November 30 that former Prime Minister Utkir Sultanov has died at the age of 76.

Authorities in Tashkent say Sultanov died on late on November 28 and was buried on November 29 in a state funeral.

RFE/RL's Uzbek Service reports that Sultanov had suffered for years from a kidney ailment.

Sultanov headed Uzbekistan's government from 1995 until 2003.

Before that, he had served as the minister of external economic relations and as a deputy prime minister.

After Shavkat Mirziyoaev replaced Sultanov as prime minister in December 2003, Sultanov continued to serve in the government as a deputy prime minister until 2006.

He also had been the general director of the Chkalov Tashkent Aviation Production Association until 2011.

/By Central Asia News/