"We have no right to apply the old criteria into our life. Uzbekistan will develop only when we become an export-oriented country. There are countries where exports exceed their GDP. At least we should have our exports make up 70% or 80% of our GDP. Only then will we do well, will our gold and hard currency reserves increase and will we be able to look forward to the future without a worry," he said at a government session to sum up the results of socio-economic development in the country in 2008 and to outline priority areas of the economy’s development in 2009.

The report also said that the average wage in the country had reached US$300 per month.