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WEEKLY POLITICAL REVIEW

Politics Materials 9 February 2006 12:00 (UTC +04:00)

The session to discuss current traffic situation and prospects of transport system development in Baku was held under the chairmanship of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on January 27 at the Presidential Palace.

The President noted in his opening remarks that over the last years Baku has been facing certain problems with road traffic. The President stressed the necessity of developing a deliberate and a large-scale program to solve the problem as soon as possible

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received on 25 January 2006 a delegation headed by the OSCE acting chairman, the head of the Belgian Foreign Ministry Karel de Gucht, Trend reports.

During the meeting exchange of views on the issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan an OSCE, negotiations on the settlement of the Armenian Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, on the perspectives of the problem settlement and other issues have been held.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has held the session to discuss energy situation as weather conditions sharply worsened in the country. He noted that no serious problems has occurred so far with electricity, gas and water supplies to consumers in the Republic, particularly, in Baku and suburbs, but ordered participating heads of related ministries and organizations to take timely measures to prevent possible problems. Heads of ministries and organizations informed the President on the existing situation.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received 24 January at the Presidential Palace a delegation of Russia led by its Vice-Premier and Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov.

The President expressed satisfaction with the current state of political and economic relationship between Azerbaijan and Russia, including the cooperation in military and military-technical spheres. The Azerbaijani leader underlined that the two countries relationship is based on the principles of good-neighborliness and friendship.

He noted that last year, the Year of Azerbaijan was conducted in Russia successfully, and expressed confidence that this Year of Russia in Azerbaijan will be equally successful.

Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov, for his part, conveyed President Vladimir Putins greetings to his Azerbaijani counterpart, adding that preparatory work for the Russian leaders upcoming visit to Azerbaijan is underway. He expressed confidence in further development of relationship between the two countries in various fields, including cooperation in military and military-technical ones.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received on 23 January 2006 a delegation from Hungary, headed by the State Secretary on political issues of the Foreign Ministry Andrash Barshoni.

The head of the state noted the significance of the bilateral cooperation development with Hungary and opening of the Azerbaijan Embassy in Budapest as a positive factor, Trend reports. He voiced hope for further development of political, economic, cultural and other links.

Andrash Barshoni, from his part, expressed his countrys willingness to develop bilateral ties with Azerbaijan, noting good opportunities in opening the Azerbaijan Embassy to Hungary. The guest reminded of the business forum of the Azerbaijan entrepreneurs held in Hungary and said the similar event will take also place in Baku till the year end.

Azerbaijani President signed a decree on upgrade of legal system in Azerbaijan and the application of the law on injection of changes and supplements in some legislative acts in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

In compliance with the decree, which targets the formation of the legal authorities as an authoritative and independent institution in the government mechanism, formation of a professional corps of judges, provision of the transparency of the activities of the courts and conceptual resolution of other issues, envisages the establishment of new courts in this stage of upgrade of the legal system for provision of terms for socio-economic development of the regions, the need of people in legal institutes and legal assistance, removal of facts of misappropriation, red-tape, and other shortcomings, causing concerns in citizens.

The decree ordains the establishment of new courts of appeals and local economic courts in Baku, Ganja, Sumgayit, Ali Bayramly, Shaki and Nakhchivan cities.

The same day Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on pardoning the people sentenced to imprisonment and restriction of freedom.

Continuing the policy based on the principles of humanism and justice, demonstrating respect to the human rights and freedom, considering the appeals addressed to the president by the relatives of some convicted people, the Ombudsman, the human watch organizations with the with request of their pardoning, taking into consideration the personality, state of health, family status of the convicted, the service of a definite part of the sentence, their behavior in this period, and deep belief in the educative significance of their release from the punishment, as well as wishing the pardoned prisoners to observe the laws and integrate into the society, the head of state decreed guiding Article 109/22 of the Constitution to release 90 people from the rest part of imprisonment term, the document said.

The meeting of the Security Council chaired by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was held on January 2, 2006. The Head of State made remarks at the meeting.

The year 2005 is over. Its results were very successful. 2005 was a year of dynamic economic growth in Azerbaijan and strengthening the countrys positions in the world and the region; in all, our country has been successfully developed during the year.

I have no doubt that the positive tendencies seen in Azerbaijan will be even further reinforced, he underlined.

2006 also gives certain hopes for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As you know, the Minsk Group and its co-chairs have recently increased their efforts to this end, and out forward certain proposals. We are considering and discussing them. However, our position on the problem remains unchanged. This question can find its solution only on the base of the international law norms. No territorial integrity of Azerbaijan can be the subject of negotiations.

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict

Ceasefire breach was fixed in the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline on 17 January, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry announced.

The divisions of the Armenian Armed Forces fired by guns and automatic machines from 16:40 to 16:55pm from their positions based on northwest of Goyuk Gedik mountain, Noyamberian District, and 0.2km southwest of Shavaksavan village of the same district the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces situated in Gushchu Ayrim village of Gazakh District.

The enemy was made silent through a reply fire. No injuries were reported.

On 12 January the divisions of the Armenian Armed Forces fired from 00:05 to 00:10 from their positions based on Garayal mountain, Ijevan District, 02.05 from their positions located in 2km south of Aygeovit village of Ijevan, the position of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces situated near Bala Jafarli village of Gazakh District.

On 18 January 2006 one Armenian prisoner of war previously detained in Azerbaijan was repatriated under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The operation took place on the road between the Azerbaijani town of Gazakh and the Armenian town of Ijevan

The resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the problem which the conflict sides must sole together with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. In case any agreement is reached, the EU is ready to render support under its possibilities, in particular, in issue of peacekeeping, Heikki Talvitie, a special representative of European Union on South Caucasus, Heikki Talvitie, who is about to complete his office, stated in Baku on Thursday.

He underlined that the sides jointly with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs should resolve the problem. Despite my optimism and the work done by the co-chairs still too much should be done in this respect, Talvitie underscored.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister said that forthcoming meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders will be held in Paris on 10 -11 February. We have received an official invitation from the French President, Jaques Chirac and sent a positive reply, he added. The sides today discuss the major principles of resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Yet it is difficult to foretell a break through in the talks in Paris. Most will depend how we will pass the way on the principle issues discussed, Mammadyarov underlined.

В"I hope that during the meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Paris achievement of the accord on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem will be possible, the OSCE acting chairman, the Foreign Minister of Belgium Karel de Gucht said in a statement on 25 January 2006 in Baku.

According to him, OSCE will consider its priority the activities aimed at the resolving of the conflict also in future. In case presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia will start preparations over the agreement, OSCE will be ready to support implementation of all aspects of the agreement, Karel de Gucht added.

Talking about the stationing of the peace-keeping forces in the conflict area, he said, OSCE itself has no peace-keeping forces at its disposal and the deployment process is to be proceeded by the negotiations with a number of states, which are ready to send their contingents. However, according to him, the mandate of the peace-keeping forces is to be discussed first. Karel de Gucht noted also, OSCE is ready to support in rehabilitation and restoration of areas in the conflict zone.

The OSCE chairman called the goal of his visit not considering the issues of the negotiation process, but discussion of the forthcoming February meeting of presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Paris. OSCE is the organization, carrying out its activities based on the multilateral approach. In case the sides come to the common decision we will back it, Karel de Gucht summarized.

The Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia will consider a working document on the peaceable resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russian Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, told Trend.

As to signing of any document on the results of the Paris talks between the Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian, the diplomat said there was no document for signing. This is a working document, he underlined.

Merzlyakov asserted the co-chairs intention of touring Baku and Yerevan early February with a short-term visit to meet with the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents. In reply to question whether the mediators will tour the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict region, the Russian ambassador said that they will if they have time. The diplomat refused to go into details on the schedule of the visit of region and added that he will not say anything to avoid possible hindrances.

I cannot rule out the possible deployment of the Russias peace-keeping forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation (RF) government, Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said in a statement on 24 January 2006 in Baku, responding to the journalists questions, Trend reports.

В"In my view, it is premature to speak about it for the moment. I cannot rule it out, in principle, Ivanov said, stressing the primary thing is the policy of the conflict diplomatic settlement, after which one can consider seriously and speak about the specific options for the peace-keeping process, including the opportunities involving the RF armed forces.

В"It is also possible within the framework of the multi-national forces, the RF Defense Minister said.

Promising milestones appeared in the process of resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 2005 as a result of achievement of a considerable mutual understanding on coordinating the key principles, which could lay a basis of an agreement on the resolution on the conflict, at a top level meeting held in Warsaw on 15 May and in Kazan on 27 August under the aegis of international mediators the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs from Russia, the United States and France, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, told Trend. He was commenting on the resolution of [Armenian-Azerbaijani] Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

According to Lavrov, on some part it occurred as a result of steady attention to the issue on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, in particular, Russia, in the contacts with the leadership of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

As you apparently know, Russian President Vladimir V. Putin will meet with the Armenian President, Robert Kocharian shortly, while in February Putin is scheduled to pay a visit to Azerbaijan. Of course, during the meetings Russia will insistently recommend the sides not to lose a real chance for achievement of a break in the negotiation process through accomplishment of acceding the major principles of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution this year, the foreign minister underscored

The PACE Ad Hoc Committee on Nagorno-Karabakh, to meet in Paris on 9 January will take a paper by Lord Rassel Johnston on the work done thus far, MP Asim Mollazade, a member of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation at the PACE, told Trend.

Mollazade noted that the last meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee heard speeches by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and it is not planning to take any report from them. The key objective of the gathering is to discuss issues linked with the implementation of PACE resolution 1416 on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the forthcoming steps, Mollazade noted. The gathering will define the date of the next gathering, he underlined.

In an interview with Trend the Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmar Mammadyarov stated that the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh through diplomatic methods on the base of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan within the framework of the international legal norms and principles remained the priority issue for our country.

Summarizing the results of the year he underlined an initiative by Azerbaijan on the consideration of the situation in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan at the UN General Assembly gained an open support and boosted international attention towards the conflict. OSCE fact-finding mission, dispatched to the occupied territory, revealed Armenias policy of illegal settlement in the territory.

In 2006 it is planned to continue discussions on the level of Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. I hope that the discussions will yield positive results and the peaceable process will pass from the stage of discussions to the adoption of concrete resolutions, he stressed.

He said that disposal of peacemaking forces in the region is one of the components of discussions held under the peace process. However, our country does not regard the issue apart from the implementation of other components discussed within the peace process, liberation of Azerbaijani territory under the Armenian occupation, repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons. This is a complex issue.

Foreign policy

The Embassy of the European Commission will be opened in Azerbaijan in 2007, a special envoy of the European Commission in Azerbaijan Alan Waddams said in Baku.

Waddams underlined that one of the major directions of his activities will be the opening of official representation of the European Commission in Azerbaijan. He noted that his major task will be the expansion and deepening of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU in different spheres.

In his turn Mammadyraov underlined the importance of developing Azerbaijans relations with the EU and integration into the European institutes.

All three Caucasus states will start negotiations on the development of the Action Plans in the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy of the European Union (EU) simultaneously, the EU special envoy for South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie said in a statement today during the news conference in Baku.

According to him, although the core of the Action Plans will be various, there is hope that all three states will be able to complete consultations over them and sign relevant agreements with EU concurrently.

As for the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorny Karabah, Talvitie noted EU is ready to make possible assistance to the conflict sides in case of the achievement of the peaceful agreement.

The EU special envoy stressed also, EU is interested in purchasing of energy resources from the Caspian region, in particular, from Azerbaijan, at the market prices. Azerbaijan is not only potential energy resources supplier to the European markets, but has also favorable geo-strategic position, enabling to re-deliver the energy resources of other countries to European states.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) approved the mandate of the Azerbaijan parliamentary delegation. During the PACE plenary sitting, the proposal on non-approval of the powers of the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan has been declined by 100 votes, 67 PACE members voted against it, 16 members abstained. 183 parliamentarians participated in the voting.

The head of the Azerbaijan delegation Samed Seyidov said, the Azerbaijan delegation remained as the PACE plenipotentiary member. В"No sanctions from PACE against Azerbaijan will follow, Seyidov stressed.

The issue on cancellation of the mandate of Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation at PACE was initiated by two PACE co-rapporteurs, Andreas Gross and Andreas Herkel, who stated that 6 November parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan fell short of CE standards.

No specific decisions have been taken during the sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) sub-committee on 26 January, the permanent representative of Azerbaijan to CE, the Ambassador Agshin Mehtiyev told Trend exclusively.

Basically, the resolution adopted at the PACE yesterdays sitting on Azerbaijan and its assessment were under discussion. A special attention has been paid to the involvement of the opposition in the parliamentary work and the forthcoming by-elections. В"The debates passed in working and calm atmosphere. The opposition insisted on the parity formation of the election committees. Representatives of the ruling party (New Azerbaijan party-YAP) stated, YAP is ready for the constructive cooperation on the matter, however, to this end, the opposition is to take part in the work of the Parliament and the upcoming by-elections, showing constructivityВ", Mehtiev was quoted as saying.

At the sitting held behind the closed doors during one hour the head of the Azerbaijan parliamentary delegation to PACE Samed Seyidov, the vice-Speaker of the Parliament Bahar Muradova, the PACE co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan Andres Herkel, as well as the chairman of the oppositional National Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA, reformists) Ali Kerimli and the first deputy of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA) Sardar Djalaloglu took part in the sitting. The Dutch parliamentarian Leo Plattvoed chaired the meeting.

Azerbaijani-Iranian diplomatic channels determine new date of the official visit of Gulamali Haddad Adil, the chairman of the Iranian Parliament, to Azerbaijan, Afshar Suleymani, the Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Trend.

According to Suleymani, the official invitation has handed over to the Iranian speaker and the sides are currently unifying the exact date and the program of the visit. It should be mentioned that earlier the visit was planned to be paid from 16 to 18 December within the tour of Russian and Belarus, but the Iranian speaker decided to pay a separate visit to Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijan Republic backs the right of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the peaceful use of the nuclear energy, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Iran Abbasali Hasanov said in a statement during the news conference in Tehran, Trend reports.

В"Irans nuclear program is of a peaceful character and the crisis around the Irans atomic activities ought to be settled exclusively by diplomatic means, the Ambassador underlined.

Рђbbasali Hasanov stressed also that the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan recognizes officially the right of Iran for the peaceful use of the atomic energy and supports the Iranian nuclear program.

Artur Rasizade, the Prime Minister, will represent Azerbaijan in an inauguration of the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Kazakh embassy in Baku, told Trend.

The ceremony scheduled for 11 January will be held at the residence of Akorda in the capital city Astana. Under the visit Rasizade plans to hold meetings with the heads of delegations of the different countries.

Kazakh Prime Minister Danial Ahmetov asserted his governments intention on joining to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) main export oil pipeline during the meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Artur Rasizade, Trend reports.

All technical issues have been resolved and soon Kazakhstan will be ready to signing of a relevant agreement," Danial Ahmetov underlined.

Azerbaijan and Cuba will sign an agreement on cooperation between foreign political establishments of the countries. The draft agreement was handed over to Azerbaijani deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov by his Cuban counterpart Eumelio Cabaliero at the meeting held in Astana within the inauguration ceremony of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

During the meeting the Cuban deputy Minister showed interest in the region, particularly, Azerbaijan and expressed intention of his country to expand the cooperation with Azerbaijan, specially, in the economic sphere.

Political life

56 of 60 candidates, who have been registered at the CEC, took signature lists. 8 of them belong to the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, two Musavat, one Adalet, one Great Azerbaijan party, while the rest are no-party.

The CE made a resolution on the implementation of monitoring over the by-elections in Azerbaijan to be held in Azerbaijan on 13 May in 10 constituencies. In this respect in February Leo Platvoed jointly with the CE co-rapporteurs on Azerbaijan, Andreas Gross and Andreas Herkel.

Initially the visit was scheduled for January. Plattvoed explained the reason for the delay by the lack of time till the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The second reason is that the delegation is willing to visit Baku together with the PACE president Rene van der Linden.

On 19 January the Central Elections Commission (CEC) annulled a mandate of Lala-Shovkat Hajiyeva, elected from the Second Yasamal Constituency17 at her own appeal.

New Azerbaijan party (YAP) is ready to hold dialogue with any party, deputy executive secretary of the ruling YAP, a MP Mubariz Gurbanli told Trend.

He noted that the YAP multiple proposals on the commencement of the dialogue have not been accepted by the opposition. В"It shows that the opposition is not ready for the dialogue with YAP, Gurbanli said, stressing that the ruling party may have dialogue on any subject with any party. Ignoring the dialogue by the opposition Gurbanli assessed as the wrong position. В"It shows that there is no opposition in Azerbaijan coming out with fair stances, he noted.

The New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) and the Turkish Justice and Development Party (TJDP) agreed on the further perspectives within the visit of the NAP representatives to Turkey from 16 to 20 January at the invitation of TJDP, Trend reports.

The delegation of NAP included MP Ali Ahmadov, the the deputy chairman and executive secretary of the party, MP Mubariz Gurbanly, the deputy executive secretary of the party, Malahat Hassanova, a member of the Political Board, and Ramil Hassanov, the chairman of the Youth Union.

Members of Musavat party, who decided to run up in the by-elections will be seriously punished, Arif Hajili, Deputy Chairman of Musavat Party, told Trend.

Two members of the party Tahir Pasha and Gurban Gurbanov took a signature lists from the Central Elections Commission (CEC) with regard to participate in the by-elections in 13 May 2006.

Hajili noted that for the time being Musavat has not taken a unilateral resolution on the participation in the by-elections. Those joining the process cannot be considered as members of Musavat Party. If the party takes a resolution on non-participation in the by-elections, those not obeying the resolution of the party will be punished seriously, he underlined.

Party opposition leaders hold negotiations to establish a new political block, Lala-Shovkat Hajiyeva, the leader of the National Unity Movement, told Trend.

She stressed that the issue was subject of the discussions for opposition leaders. I always was supporter of the unification of the opposition, but I think that it requires existence of common positions of the opposition forces and mutual openness in regard to each other. Only in this case unity may be long-term, Hajiyeva underlined.

According to Hajiyeva, exact date of the establishment of the political block is unknown yet, as the talks continue.

Her statement was supported by Ali Karimli, the leader of the APFP and Ali Aliyev, the chairman of the Azerbaijan National Independence Party (ANIP).

The signing of document is expected n February.

"Some opposition parties attempted to interfere the internal affairs of the ANIP, but think it unacceptable," Etibar Mammadov, the leader of the ANIP sated to a news conference on 23 January.

After a split the two organizations claimed at the name of the party. One of them is headed by Etibar Mammadov and another - Ali Aliyev.

The European Union (EU) envoy for South Caucasus Heilli Talvitie met today with the oppositional leaders. The Musavat Party chairman Isa Gambar and the National Unity Movement leader Lala-Shovket Hadjiyeva took part in the meeting, Trend reports.

The subject of the meeting was the socio-political situation, democratic principles and human rights, cooperation between EU and Azerbaijan, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and other issues. Leaders of the opposition brought to the attention of Talvitie their views in regard to the latest parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.

Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, was declared the laureate of the international elite platinum Grand Prix Caspian Energy Integration Award-2006 in the main nomination The Politician of Year in CIS And Baltic Countries on the results of the expert inquiry held by the Caspian Integration Business Club in 30 countries of the world among top-managers and managers of average medium level from 1,500 companies working in the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions.

In previous years the Club declared Azerbaijani ex-President Heydar Aliyev, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva the holders of Grand Prix in different nominations.

Musavat party refused to direct its representative to the Central Election Committee (CEC), Vurgun Eyyub, the deputy head of the party, told Trend. He said that the party addressed to the Milli Majlis [Parliament] to get overhaul information about reformantion of CEC, but did not receive reply.

We will not participate in the formation of CEC in unknown form, as the Milli Majlis did not reply to our letter, Eyyub stressed.

The parties entered the Democratic Azerbaijan block plan to establish a new block, Hajibala Azimov, the former co-chairman of the block, present chairman of the National Unity of United Azerbaijan Party, told Trend.

He noted that the Democratic Azerbaijan bloc dissolved after the 6 November parliamentary elections would be restored, but the parties entered the block in association with others put forward initiative on establishment of new political block.

According to Azimov, they hold negotiations with some parties in this regard. The National Unity of United Azerbaijan Party, Adalat (Justice) Party and Azadlyg (Freedom) Party will be able to enter the block. We would like the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Party (classics), Vahdat (Unity) Party, Great Azerbaijan Party, Social Justice Party and Liberal-Democratic Party to join us. The reason for giving preference to these parties is preservation of opposition image by them, Azimov underlined.

The Yurddash party took a decision to participate in by-elections to the Parliament on 13 May 2006, the partys chairman Mais Safarli told Trend.

He noted after the 20 January he will define the constituency, from which he will ballot. В"We took a decision to nominate our candidates from all 10 constituencies and set the goal to win in some of them , Safarli said, stressing the candidates from the party will be supported morally and materially.

The chairman of the Party of Democratic Reforms (PDR) Asim Mollazade met on 19 January at the partys headquarters with the activists of the partys Sumgayit city organization headed by the structures leader Arzu Musayev. The tasks set by the organization were discussed at the meeting, Trend reports.

The major subject of discussions was continuation of works at the Sumgayit party organization and the problems of Sumgayit. The Action Plan of the Sumgayit organization was approved at the meeting and the decision on opening of the permanent headquarters in Sumgayit taken.

A deputy group of 6 persons established in Milli Mejlis during the parliamentary spring session will come out with specific programs and proposals, Igbal Agazade, represented in this parliamentary group told Trend.

He said, the deputy group continues its activities and identifies what issues to put on discussion at Milli Mejlis.

According to Agazade, the deputy group will prepare programs on some aspects and will put it on discussion in March. The deputy noted also that he will come out with the proposal to reduce the number of members from 25 to 15-12 for setting up the fraction at the Parliament.

The chairman of the Civil Unity Party, MP Sabir Hajiyev said that he sent the candidacy of Tahir Aliyev, the deputy chair of the party, to the CEC, while Igbal Agazade, the chairman of the Umid Party, presented to the CEC the candidacy of Akif Gurbanov.

The Great Establishment Party has made a resolution to send a candidacy of the Ibrahim Mammadov to the Central Elections Commission (CEC), the chairman of the party, MP Fazail Gazanfaroglu, told Trend. He said that he had addressed a letter to the CEC in this respect.

Parties represented in the parliament and independent candidates are to send their candidates to the CEC till 10 January.

State building

The next meeting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Council will be held in Moscow from 9 to 11 February. The agenda includes around 12 issues, particularly, lawmaking activities and monitoring of legislation at CIS counties parliaments, course of implementation of CIS interstate programs on struggle with terrorism and other kinds of extremism, criminality, illegal traffic of drug, psychotropic substances and precursors, as well as harmonization of CIS countries legislation in information and communications, the secretariat of the Council told Trend.

The members of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Council will get familiar with the work of the representatives of the Assembly on observation of the presidential elections in Kazakhstan, as well as the results of observation of the 6 November parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. Besides, the meeting of the body will consider issues on the results of some events held unde the action plan of the Interparlimentary Assembly for 2005.

Ogtay Aliyev, the chairman of the Milli Majlis [Parliament], is also expected to participate in the meeting, the Milli Majlis said.

The Azerbaijan Minister of National Security Eldar Mahmudov and director of Federal Agency on protection of state and fight against terrorism of Austria Gerdt Rene Polly discussed on 25 January bilateral cooperation in the security field, the Minister of National Security told Trend.

Exchange of views on fight against transnational organized criminality and international terrorism, works in the migration processes field and etc. was held at the meeting.

Mahmudov informed the guest of the operational situation in the country, measures taken by Azerbaijan in fighting international terrorism and etc.

Gerdt-Rene Polly, in his turn, voiced satisfaction by the level of relations between Aistria and Azerbaijan in relevant fields and their perspectives.

General Charles F. Chuck Wald, the Deputy Commander of the Headquarters of the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, arrived in Azerbaijan on Wednesday for meetings and discussions at the Ministry of Defense, the US embassy in Baku told Trend.

In addition to discussing our military-to-military relations and security interests in the region, General Wald visited the headquarters of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) and met ANAMA Director Nazim Ismaylov to discuss ongoing U.S. support for ANAMA and humanitarian demining projects in Azerbaijan.

Armenia does not reuse from its aggressor claims, pursuing a destructive policy, the Defense Minister said in meeting with General Wald

He noted that Azerbaijan continues military cooperation with the United States in bilateral order, as well as under the NATOs Partnership for Peace Program

Wald in his turn said that the diplomatic resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh would benefit both conflict sides and the United States will strengthen its efforts for the peaceable solution of the conflict

15 Azerbaijani peacemakers returned to Baku on 24 January after accomplishment of their peacemaking mission in Kosovo and Afghanistan wit in the Turkish military contingent.

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