Official news
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visited the southern regions вЂ" Lankaran, Astara, Leriik, Masally, and Yardimly - last week.
During the public meeting Aliyev stressed his confidence that the forthcoming parliamentary elections will be fair and democratic.
Touching upon the forthcoming parliamentary elections in the country the head of state said that the first part of preparations was successful and 2059 candidates to MP were registered at the CEC. It testified the confidence in the fair parliamentary elections. In this case I hope the elections will be democratic,” he underlined.
"I hope the new parliament will play considerable role in the improvement of the legislative base,” Aliyev underlined.
В"Non-constructive approach by Armenia impedes the peaceable resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. But we hope the talks to yield effective ends,В" the Azerbaijani President stressed
Addressing a ceremony of unveiling a monument to ex-President Heydar Aliyev in front of the Baku City Executive Power, Aliyev remarked the successful political and diplomatic steps, though there is no result. He reminded that in 2004 the military expenses of Azerbaijan made up $175m, in 2005 вЂ" $300m, while in 2006 it will be $600m. В"The enemy should know that Azerbaijan is ready to liberate the lands any time it desires,В" he stated.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received on 1 September the State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry (FM) of Norway Kim Traaviak. During the conversation the head of the state noted, that Azerbaijan is a successfully developing country, and Norway is a participant of a lot of regional projects.
The state Secretary of the Norway’s FM noted, there is a large potential for the development and the sides must use it.
Turkish daily Huriyyat published an interview with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on 2 September. В"Azerbaijan is strong and Armenia will not stand its pressures. But we don’t want war, as it will result in death of many people. I am sure that we will return the lands and let noone to doubt in,” the President stressed.
On 5 September Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received Dmitriy Rupel, the chairman-in-office of the OSCE, the Slovenian Foreign Minister. During the meeting they discussed the prospects for resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, preparation for the forthcoming parliamentary elections, the cooperation between Azerbaijan and OSCE.
On 16 September Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with the head of the OSCE observation mission, Girt Arens and his deputy Herald Yepsen. The meeting on the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan
Earlier on 14 September President Aliyev received Heikki Talvitie, the European Union’s special representative on South Caucasus.
The talks centered on the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan-EU cooperation .
President Ilham Aliyev received the authorized representative of Vatican, cardinal Crescenzo Sepe on 12 September.
Aliyev said that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the development of relations with Vatican. В"We are happy with our relations, being at the high level. We are confident, the cooperation will develop further”, the President said.
Speaking on his visit, the cardinal noted, the head of Vatican Benedictus XVI finds this trip important. He voiced gratitude for the support of intentions and actions to be implemented in Azerbaijan. Allotment of a plot of land for the construction of the Catholic Church, according to cardinal, is appreciated highly by Vatican and is the vivid example of the desire to develop the cooperation.
Azerbaijani President Aliyev met with All-Russian and Moscow Patriarch Alexi II and his delegtaion on 14 September. During the meeting of Alexi II with the President Ilham Aliev, the sides confirmed the progress in mutual relations of Azerbaijan and Russia to new degree of mutual trust and cooperation. The President appreciated the second visit of the Russian patriarch to Azerbaijan for last 4 years as very important and contributory for stabilization of relations between two countries.
The President of Azerbaijan awarded Alexi II by the order "Shohret" (Fame) "for large contribution in development of the Azerbaijan-Russian relations".
The Russian Patriarch awarded I. Aliev by the order of Russian Orthodox Church of Reverend Sergiy Radonezh of the 1st degree
"Russian people do not feel themselves men of second kind and are enjoying full rights citizens of the country. Solid spiritual and cultural relations, formed between Russia and Azerbaijan over the period of last centuries have withstood test of time", - Alexiy emphasized.
Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, received the delegation led by Poll Spelts, the Executive Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Aliyev expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the ADB, Trend reports referring to the Azertaj news agency.
Touching upon economic development in Azerbaijan, the President noted that the strategy of social and economic development of regions was successfully carried out. “Establishment of new jobs, new infrastructure, development of private sector, GDP growth is sign of the economic development of the country. New large energy projects are expected to be implemented soon,” he added.
Spelts thanked the Aliyev for support and opportunities established for the function of the ADB, and said that he was well aware of the work carried out by the Azerbaijani President in this regard. “The work to be done during the visit will be carried out in effective and intensive form,” he underlined.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-In-Chief Ilham Aliyev presided over the meeting at Defense Ministry on 16 September on Army building in the Republic.
He disclosed the plans on increase of assignments for military purposes. “Our budget is rapidly growing and expected to exceed $3 bln 500 mln next year. This entails increase in military spending: $175 mln in 2004, $300 mln in 2005 and $600 mln in 2006, and this is not the limit,” he underlined.
"I have set the task: our military budget should reach the whole budget of Armenia, or even exceed it. We will achieve it," he said.
Aliyev noted with regret the inefficiency of the multi-year talks on the peaceable resoition of the conflict on the base of international rule of law.
"Recently, the issue has been included once again in the UN GA agenda. This is our great diplomatic success. Upon our request, the Organization of Cooperation and Security in Europe immediately engaged in the issue sent a fact-finding mission to the region,” he underscored. The mission’s final report confirms illegal settling of thousands of ethnic Armenians in the occupied territories. This indicates Armenian utterly ignores the demands of the international community, and the international law norms”, he added.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev left for Bulgaria on Friday with an official visit. During the meeting with the Bulgarian President Georgiy Pirvanov Aliyev stressed the significance for the maximal use of transport and communications lines under establishment. Touching upon the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh the Presidents voiced their hope for peaceable resolution of the conflict. Pirvanov assured that Bulgaria will hence support the just position of Azerbaijan. During the visit the two countries signed 7 bilateral documents.
On 21 September Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, received participants of the international conference �Solidarity of Islam Communities’ on Wednesday.
The head of the country noted that national and religious tolerance dominated in the country, and expressed his confidence that consolidation of people was important for development of the country.
“I’m sure that the conference will open new opportunities for development of interactions and give a chance to form further prospect of the organization, Aliyev stressed.
Separatism, terrorism and capturing as manifestation of anti-humanism brought innumerous disasters to peoples of Caucasus and the persons using such levers irrespective of the slogans, seek to destroy the peace in the region and are the enemies of the peoples of the region, the message of the members of the Supreme Religious Board of the peoples of Caucasus addressed on 21 September 2005 to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
The message underscored the goal of the two-day international conference “The Solidarity of the Islamic Communities” in Baku was strengthening of cooperation in the name of stability in Caucasus.
On 29 September Azerbaijani President received Finish President Taria Khalonen.
Two intergovernmental documents were signed between Azerbaijan and Finland in the presence of the heads of state. The Tax Ministers signed an agreement on evasion from dual taxation and the Foreign Ministers a Memorandum on Mutual Understanding.
On 28 September “Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldavia need to develop a common approach to regulate conflicts,” Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, said to a meeting of the heads of the GUAM frontier departments.
The President noted that Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldavia are subjected to aggressive separatism and the current meeting was the first similar event of the GUAM held in Baku.
“The significance of the GUAM grows even more. The organization has expanded its activities recently,” Aliyev underlined. He appreciated the meeting of the GUAM countries’ Presidents in Chisinau.
According to Aliyev, all structures of the GUAM closely cooperate and it is important to set up the relations between frontier departments.
“Interaction between frontier services is of great importance in the period of new threats such as terrorism and illegal drug traffic,” the President stressed.
On 29 September Azerbaijani President Aliyev received Lithuanian Justice Minister Gintautas Buzhinskas. The Lithuanian Minister voiced his hope that his visit will promote the bilateral relationships.
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
The UN General Assembly unanimously included the issue on the situation in the occupied terry of Azerbaijan in the agenda of the 60th session at the initiative of Azerbaijan.
The decision was taken unanimously on 12 September 2005 in New-York during the last days of the UNO General Assembly’s 59-th session under the chairmanship at the sitting of the Gabon Foreign Minister Jan Penguin, Trend reports.
The permanent representative of Azerbaijan at UNO Yashar Aliyev stated, the UNO General Assembly demonstrated again its principal position in regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Having backed the just position of Azerbaijan the General Assembly took a decision to continue discussion of this important issue. It is in its turn a significant political and diplomatic nuance in the matter of liberation of the occupied territories”, Aliyev said.
The decision to include the issue in the agenda was made despite the protest of the Armenian side.
At about 12.00 p.m. at the result of the fire of the Azerbaijani positions in the Borsunlu village of Terter region from sub-machine guns and machine guns a soldier of the National Army of Azerbaijan was injured. The military Aliyev Polad Nuraddin ogli was delivered to the hospital, but his life was not saved.
Commenting on the recent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Kazan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated that sides reached definite progress in the talks, while it was premature to speak about concrete results.
"Every meeting in the level of Presidents is a step forward, while it is too early to speak about serious movements,” the Minister said.
The resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict by the end of 2005 is possible only through the will of the conflict sides, the chairman-in-office of the OSCE, Dimitrij Rupel, told a news conference in Yerevan. During the resolution of the conflict it is necessary to guide 2 principles: the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and right for self-determination.
Rupel underlined the existence of exact formats for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. “The OSCE Minsk Group, a dialogue between the Presidents and conflict sides. I am personally ready to speak to all, including the leadership of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, let is promote the resolution of the problem,” Rupel stressed. Azerbaijan is one the eve of the parliamentary elections, while the elections are not a component promoting the resolution of the conflict.
A resolution including also the Nagorno-Karabakh problem was adopted at the sitting of the inter-parliamentary assembly of the GUAM countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova), held in the Moldavian capital city Chisinau, a participant of the meeting, a member of the Azerbaijan’s delegation, a Milli Mejlis deputy Djahangir Huseynov told Trend.
A MM deputy, as the GUAM member of the committee on political and legal issues made a report on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the aggressive policy of Armenia. В"I raised this issue before the parliamentarians of this structure for them to keep the problem constantly in the focus of their attention’, Huseynov said.
He also noted, despite the discussing of the Trans-Dnestr, Abkhaziyan and Osetian problems, the issue of Nagorny Karabakh was not equated with them at the sitting. В"In my speech I noted, that along with Nagorny Karabakh, Armenia occupied 7 regions of Azerbaijan. Discussions on the subject are successfully going on”, Huseynov noted.
Foreign Policy
The delegation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus arrived in Baku with a three-day visit on Monday. The mission headed by Rauf Denktash, the ex-President and founder of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and foreign Minister Serdar Denktash.
Rauf Denktash arrived in Baku as an eminent guest to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish television channel TRT reported and held talks with Speaker Alasgarov and FM Eldar Mammadyarov in Baku.
“I waited for my visit to Baku for all my life,” the first President and founder of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, told journalists at Heydar Aliyev Airport.
According to Denktash, it is necessary to remove the international isolation and establish diplomatic relationships with the world countries to over the isolation.
A delegation of 60-businessmen accompanied Denktash in this visit. They held talks on the establishment of business relationships between the entrepreneurs of the two countries.
The Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov was on a visit in Austria. He met with Austrian President Henz Fisher. The meeting focused on the prospect of the bilateral cooperation. Mammadyarov informed Fisher about the current state of the regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and Azerbaijan’s position in regard to the conflict.
The Azerbaijani Minister also met with Andreas Cole, the chairman of the Austrian Parliament, and mentioned importance of development of relations between two countries and their legislative bodies. The sides made exchange of opinions on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and situation in the region.
On 15 September Azerbaijani FM held a ceremony of signing of multilateral documents in New York, where he was for the 60th Assembly of the UN General Assembly.
The Embassy of France to Azerbaijan responded to the appeal of the Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO) in regard to the French companies operating in Karabakh, KLO told Trend.
In his appeal to the Embassy the KLO chairman Akif Nagi expressed protest against cooperation of the French companies with the occupant’s regime in the communication field on the occupied territories.
In his return letter the Ambassador Roland Blatmann reported, according to the information, he has for today there are no French enterprises, especially in the telecommunications sphere in Nagorny Karabakh. According to the Ambassador, the French companies were informed by the French government of the especial situation in the region and therefore they were asked not to operate in Nagorny Karabakh..
At the same time, in his return letter the Ambassador required KLO not to threaten the Embassy of France. “As you know, I am ready for discussions, however, I cannot admit to use it as the tribune against my country and my fellow countrymen”, - the Ambassador noted.
KLO stated they treat with understanding the position of the government, however, noted, the French government must take more unbiased position in the region.
The issue on construction of 2 radar stations in Azerbaijan has under processing for 2 years, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Reno Harnish, told journalists. The key objective of the project is to assist the Azerbaijani sea border service in revealing and removing the case of smuggling. One of them is to be built in Astara, in the border with Iran, and another in the Khizi District.
However, Iran regarded such a step as the United States’ military interference into Iran’s internal affairs.
The permanent representative of Azerbaijan to UNO Yashar Aliyev elected chairman of the UN General Assembly committee. The representative of Azerbaijan became the head of the 4-th special committee on politics and decolonization, Trend reports. The structure is one of the 7 main committees of the Assembly, and Yashar Aliyev will perform these duties during the 60-th session of the UN General Assembly.
Political life
The OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission are of the opinion that, since the remaining recommendations of 2003, 2004 and 2005 have not been duly taken into consideration, the examined law does not fully meet OSCE commitments and Council of Europe standards for democratic elections, according to the draft final opinion on amendments to the Elections Code of Azerbaijan by the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR.
The Venice Commission noted that the amendments were insufficient to develop the necessary public confidence in the electoral legislation and practice in Azerbaijan. Along with mostly technical changes, only a limited number of substantial amendments have been adopted in response to the 2003 and 2004 joint recommendations and 2005 Interim opinion of OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission.
В"Unfortunately, the most important suggestions have not been implemented by the authorities of Azerbaijan in spite of the repeated recommendations from the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,” the draft document underlined.
The adopted amendments to the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan must be considered in the context of previous assessments of this Election Code by the Venice
Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR. The four most recent and most important documents include the Final Report of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the2003 Presidential election.
Although some of the amendments are in line with international standards and a numberof them even follow previous recommendations by the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR, this cannot lead to the conclusion that the Election Code of Azerbaijan is satisfactory after the amendments of 26 June 2005.
According to some sources the authorities changed the rules and lowered registration fees, but neither the OSCE/ODIHR nor the Venice Commission have any official confirmation of such changes, the draft opinion states.
The amendments to the Election Code adopted by the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan on 26 June 2005 should be considered as a result of consideration of the VC recommendations.
On 25 Azadlyg bloc made an attempted to stage an unsanctioned rally in the downtown near Jafar Jabbarly square. Over 500 people shouted �Free elections’, �Resign!’ marching through one of the central streets.
"The protestors resisted the law enforcement bodies,” Yashar Aliyev, the vice head of the Baku Central Police Department said.
Mauricio Pavesi participated in the meeting between the authorities’ representatives and the opposition on 26 September. He said the compromise to the satisfaction of both sides has not been achieved during the talks. However, the OSCE official considers there is still the opportunity for avoiding confrontation and achieving the common denominator. “I hope, on 29 September the sides will come to a consentВ", Pavesi noted.
Touching upon the issue, whether the sides come to a consent or not during the talks, Pavesi said, the meetings are still going on, therefore it is too early to voice any specific opinion on the results.
Parliamentary elections
The blocs �Freedom’, �New Policy’ and Azerbaijan Liberal Party addressed to the Central Election Committee (CEC) to redistribute free air time allotted by AzTV and Public TV, the �Freedom’ bloc told Trend.
The bloc with free air time can use only 4 minutes 6 times a week, but the authors of the address propose to make 12-minute speech twice a week. “In our opinion, 4 minutes is very short time to disclose platform. In other hand, during the election campaign air time is limited in relation to candidates’ visits to the regions,” the address says.
The CEC noted that the issue might be put for discussion only at the CEC meeting. “If the proposals will be taken into consideration, we will have to cast lots anew and redistribute time. However, the casting of lots was held in accordance with law. As to time shortage, authoritative representatives may deliver a speech, while candidates are in regions” Azer Sariyev, the head of the press-service of the CEC, told Trend.
State Building
On 1 September the Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Safar Abiyev, received British Ambassador Lory Bristow and commander-in-chief of British Military consulting-training group, Hew Piersel. Abiyev appreciated the work by the British Military consulting-training group in training instructors for the Azerbaijani Defense Minister.
"It will have positive impact on the participation of Azerbaijani armed forces in the peace-making operations, training of military personnel, conduct of reforms within the military forces, as well as the Action Plan on Individual Partnership," Abiyev said.
The 40th session of the UN Sub-commission on drug trafficking in Baer and Middle East was held in Baku from 12 to 16 September under the chairmanship of the Ramil Usubov, the Azerbaijani Interior Minister.
In his remarks the Azerbaijani Interior Minister appreciated the cooperation of the sub-commission in the sphere of drug enforcing. The Minister noted the importance of adopting mutual obligations on the mutual legal assistance between the countries, exchange of information and cooperation among the transit countries
The Minister of the National Security (MNS), General-Lieutenant Eldar Mahmudov met on 13 September 2005 with the deputy executive director of the United Nations Organization (UNO) on the drugs and crimes fighting Mrs. Sumra Noyan.
Eldar Mahmudov told at the meeting on the targeted measures, fulfilled by the Ministry on ensuring security, stability in the country, combating the criminality, its dangerous forms, as well as carrying out relevant structural reforms at the Ministry and the positive results achieved for the short period of time.
According to the Minister of the National Security there are irrefutable facts and evidences that on the territory of Nagorny Karabakh, occupied by the Armenian forces narcotic substances are cultivated and there is a large network on their marketing. He also reported, the occupied territories are used as the principal route for the narcotics transit and this data is submitted to international organizations. The Minister noted, in this situation, the UNO involvement is necessary.
Mahmudov noted, the country’s rapid economic growth, implementation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the South вЂ"Caucasus gas pipeline projects, as well as the TRACECA project turned Azerbaijan into the focus of attention of the transnational criminals, created conditions for increase of the illegal migration. The Minister noted the necessity for strengthening the cooperation of international institutions and the regional states to fight it.
According to Noyan, UNO attaches great significance to the fight against the transnational criminality, carried out throughout the world. She appreciated positively the struggle against drug-addiction and illegal trafficking of narcotics. Noyan voiced the confidence the cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNO will strengthen more.
On 20-23 Sept. Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev left for Stuttgart, Germany. During the meeting he had a meeting with Charles Wald, deputy had of the US European Command. During the meeting they discussed bilateral relationships and cooperation between the two countries under the NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.
Starting with 19 September 2005 officers of the Azerbaijan’s armed forces will take part in military courses, the press service of the Defense Ministry told Trend.
Thus, till 29 September according to the individual program “Partnership in the name of peace”, signed between NATO and Azerbaijan the program “Familiarization with the NATO headquarters and the partnership coordination group” will be held in Brussels and Monse (Belgium), on 30 September in Scopye (Macedonia) the contest “The military terminology for staff officers”, till 7 October according to the bilateral plan of military cooperation signed between Azerbaijan and Turkey the course “Engineering and strengthening unities and mines” will be held.