Official news
The telephone conversation between the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the US State Secretary Condoleeza Rice took place today, the press service of the Azerbaijan president reports, according to Trend.
During the telephone talk exchange of views on the negotiations between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict settlement over Nagorny Karabakh has been held.
For today, both in Azerbaijan itself and in the region in general, a very favourable environment for the countrys development has been established, the Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev said in a statement today during the conference dedicated to the second year of implementation of the State Program on social and economic development of regions.
According to the head of the state, both the natural factors and the role of Azerbaijan in the entire region and throughout the world in general play the part. В"Рђzerbaijan initiated important regional processes. None of the political, economic or transport project can be implemented in the region without involvement of Baku. It is the reality and with the time the weight of Azerbaijan will grow more, Aliyev said, underscoring he sees the future of his country as very optimistic.
В"There are all pre-requisites for establishing of powerful Azerbaijan. They are: the countrys geographic location, natural resources, the public support of the state policy, the unity of people and the authorities, economic reforms and many other points, the head of the state said. He noted, two years ago the state had no required funds or the full support for the entrepreneurship, however, in 2006, the total amount of credits will make 100 million USD. The basic point is, according to the President, a right political line and the proper state program, which is not to be a mere slogan, but be active.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received today a member of the European Commission, the Commissar on Foreign Relations and the European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
During the meeting, the issues of development in various fields of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union have been discussed.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received today Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSECO) Tedo Djaparidze.
Exchange of views in regard to the current state of affairs and perspectives of mutual relations between Azerbaijan and BSECO has been held during the meeting.
Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, received the delegation of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations led by Harold Tanner on Monday.
Tanner stated that existence of constantan tolerance and very good conditions for the representatives of all nations and religious communities in Azerbaijan. We are very enthusiastic about attitude to the Jewish community in the country, where the majority of the population is Moslems, he said. In this point of view the Israeli guest expressed satisfaction with the conditions established for the Jewish community. According to Tanner, Azerbaijan is the country representing strategic importance to the world community. It also established close relations with the USA. Tanner conveyed message of the Israeli President, expressing hope in the further development of the bilateral ties for interests of the nation
In his turn, Aliyev highly appreciated the visit of the delegation of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to Baku. According to Aliyev, Azerbaijan and the USA are the allies, which come out as partners in the world and regional issues. He said that very favorable conditions were established for co-existence in Azerbaijan and the representatives of all nations were citizens with equal rights, living in friendly conditions.
Deputy chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Malcolm Hoenline, conveyed a letter from the President of Israel Moshe Katsav to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. In his message the head of the Israel state invites Azerbaijan to expand bilateral political and economic relations.
Aliabbas Gulu oglu Gadirov was rewarded with Glory order at the decree, signed by the Azerbaijani President on Modany. Gadirov was rewarded with order for services in the development of the Azerbaijani dramatic art.
РљРµrim Hadjihan oglu Kerimov is awarded the Order of Glory (Shohret), the decree of which has been signed by the Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on 16 February.
The decree notes Kerimov is awarded the order for his active involvement in the socio-political life of Azerbaijan.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev accepted today credentials of the Ambassadors of Brazil, Canada, Madagascar, Nigeria, Portugal, Kirgizistan and Slovakia, Trend reports, citing the Lider TV channel.
The head of the state voiced hope that their activities will enable to strengthen bilateral relations with Azerbaijan.
The copies of credentials have been handed over to the Azerbaijan president by the Ambassadors: of Brazil, Sezario Malantonio Metonu, of Canada, Ive Brodeuru, of Madagascar, Elio Alfonse Maxim Davona, of Nigeria, Ibragim Ganyama Abubakari, of Portugal, Jorche Alberto Nogueirani, of Kirgizistan, Aras Chumagulov, and Slovakia, Augustin Chisari.
Рђsif Unis oglu Askerov has been appointed head of the executive power in Zagatali region of Azerbaijan. The decree has been signed by the Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev today, Trend reports.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with President of Ukraine Foundation, Leonid Kuchma. Aliyev and Kuchma also visited the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
The chairman of the Ukraine Foundation and his spouse were informed about the Foundation, established as a sign respect to ex-Presidents memory and its objectives. The Ukrainian guests got familiar with exponents taken from Heydar Aliyevs personal archive, which covers different periods of his activities, including the photos engraving definite milestones of great leaders life and providing broad impression of the history of Azerbaijan, books dedicated to the great leader.
On Thursday Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, signed a decree on establishment of the State Commission on prevention of bird flu and coordination of joint activities of all bodies in this sphere. The State Commission was charged in preparation and approval of action plan on prevention of bird flu during 2 days, daily informing of media about bird flu, submission of proposal on financing of preventive measures at expense of the state and international funds to the Cabinet of Ministers. The State Commission is also due to inform the head of the country about the work being done regularly.
The Commission includes Abbas Abbasov, the 1st deputy Primer, Ismat Abbasov, the Agriculture Minister, Heydar Babayev, the Economic Development Minister, Husseyngulu Baghirov, the Ecology and Natural Resources Minister, Avaz Alakbarov, the Finance Minister, Kamaladdin Heydarov, the Emergency Minister, Ogtay Shiraliyev, the Health Minister, Ramil Usubov, the Interior Minister, Aydin Aliyev, the chairman of the State Customs Committee, Elchin Guliyev, the head of the State Border Service, Zeynal Nagdaliyev, the head of the department for regional governance and work with municipalities under the Presidents Apparat, Vagif Sadigov, the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abbas Belibayov, the the deputy Minister of Health, Ismayil Hassanov, the head of the State Veterinary Service under the Agriculture Ministry.
Foreign policy
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin plan to sign Political Declaration in Baku, the Azerbaijan Premier Minister Artur Rasizade told journalists today, commenting on the visit of the Russias president Putin in Baku on 21-22 February.
On the whole, 4-5 inter-state documents, including those of economic character are supposed to be signed.
A Russian working group is currently in Baku to prepare the visit of the Russias President Vladimir Putin to Azerbaijan, the press service of the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry announced.
According to the preliminary data from diplomatic sources Putin will hold negotiations tete-a-tete within the visit with the leader of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the negotiations in large will be held, signing of bilateral documents and joint briefing of the heads of states will take place.
Opening of the Russian National Exhibition on 21 February at the Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex, of the second Azerbaijani- Russian economic forum, the concert of Russian art workers and etc are planned.
It should be noted delegation of over 500 people, including government officials, businessmen, workers of art an etc. will arrive on 21-22 February from Russia.
The European Union (EU) is interested in the cooperation with Azerbaijan and we hope in rapid completion of talks on adoption of action Plan under the EUs New Neighborhood Policy, the EU Commissar on foreign Relations of the New Neighborhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said on Thursday in a briefing on the result of a meeting with Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister.
New stage of the EU - Azerbaijan cooperation is underway now and we hope that in 2006 Azerbaijan and the EU relationships will be expanded, said Ferrero-Waldner, underlining that the development of bilateral relationships between Baku and EU countries will bring more benefits to Azerbaijan. Exit to European markets will give new impetus to the countrys integration to European, she assured.
Concerning the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Ferrero Waldner stated that the EU is interested in the peaceable settlement of the conflict. The settlement of the problem depends first of all depends on Azerbaijan and Armenia, however, if the sides some to an agreement are ready to assist the rehabilitation of areas, the EU commissar. In this context Ferrero-Waldner attached great importance to the development of regional cooperation.
On 7 March 2006 a group of experts from Azerbaijan will leave Brussels to discuss issues linked with the development of Action Plan under the EUs New Neighborhood Policy, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated on Thursday stated to a briefing after the meeting with Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU commissar.
Talks will be held under the second round of meetings on development of Action Plan and we hope the plan will be adopted, Mammadyarov underscored.
The Azerbaijani FM also informed that officials of the European Commission will visit Azerbaijan from 24 to 25 February 2005 at the invitation of Azerbaijan to discuss the energy issues. During the forthcoming talks they will particularly discuss the delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, as well as energy security, he said.
Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, participated in an international forum titled The United States Islamic World will be held in Doha on 18-20 February
The consultations on preparations for Ukrainian President Victor Yuschenkos forthcoming visit to Azerbaijan continue and the exact of the visit will be coordinated with consideration of the business schedule of the heads of states, Talat Aliyev, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Ukraine, told journalists on Thursday.
According to the diplomat, the level of bilateral relationships was very high and the friendly relations between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Ukraine play considerable role in it. The recent talks held by the Secretary of the Security Council, Anatoliy Kinakh in Baku, as well as telephone talks between the two heads of state, anew asserted the importance of interrelations with Azerbaijan for Ukraine and the necessity of cooperation between Kiev and Baku, Aliyev underlined.
Besides, the Ambassador asserted that Yuschenkos visit to Baku was not scheduled for February.
He also said that Andrey Veselovskiy, the Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister, will visit Azerbaijan late this February. The Ambassador noted that key topics of discussions will be
the development of cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries.
New representative of the European Union on South Caucasus, Swiss diplomat, Peter Semnebi, will officially take up his office in March 2006 and after will tour the region, Alan Waddams, the special Ambassador of the EUs European Commission in Azerbaijan, told journalists on Wednesday.
I hope the visit will be paid in the soon. In difference to me, he (Semnebi- Trend) will represent entire European Union, said Waddams, noted there was no exact term of the visit.
The head of the Council of Europe Baku office Matts Lindberg completes his diplomatic mission on 24 February, Lindberg himself told Trend.
В"Like other previous special envoys of the Council of Europe I have performed my duties during two years. The candidature of the new special envoy will be identified in the coming 2 months, Lindberg said and added that consultations on the issue are underway in the Council of Europe.
Ankara supports the diplomatic solution to conflict situations, Turan Moraly, the Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan, told journalists. He was commenting on the situation around nuclear programs in Iran.
Iran is our neighbor and the armed resolution of the problem is unacceptable for Turkey. We will not allow the use of Turkeys territory for military purposes directed against Tehran, Moraly underlined.
The diplomat noted that Iran itself should be interested in the transparency of nuclear programs in order to prove the peace purpose of its efforts.
The talks between Azerbaijan and Russia in the sphere of strategic partnership in the Caspian continues, Trend quoted Khalaf Khalafov, the Azerbaijani deputy foreign ministers, as saying to journalists.
In compliance with the existing rules, Russias permission is needed for passage of vessels of the Caspian Sea via the internal waters of Russia. There appeared some problems in connection with the passage of vessels belonging to the Caspian states to the Black sea. Other Caspian counties are also holding talks with Russia in this direction. At present the Caspian littoral countries try to find resolution to the problem, Khalafov underlined.
Рђzerbaijan, where ethnical minorities and the local population co-exist peacefully may be a good example for many countries, for neighboring with Azerbaijan countries too, the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Harold Tanner said in a statement today during the news conference in Baku, Trend reports.
The Conference chairman who arrived in Azerbaijan within the representative delegation (about 70 people) voiced his satisfaction by the tolerance policy towards the countys ethnical population pursued by the state. В"Рђzerbaijan, as the country, has an important geo-political, geo-strategic and spiritual importance and sticks to the soft position to ethnical minorities, which may become a good example for other states, the Conference assistant chairman Malcolm Hoenlein underlined. According to him, they witnessed peaceful living together of the Jews in the country, where the major part of the population are Moslems. On the results of meetings and negotiations with the countrys leadership the delegation will prepare a report for the US State Department, he said
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations hopes that links between Azerbaijan and Israel will develop in future as well, the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Harold Tanner said in a statement today during the meeting with the Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Trend reports. He noted Israel and the USA attach a special significance to Azerbaijan.
The Minister, touching upon the issues of existing strategic relations between Azerbaijan and the USA noted the important role of the Jewish organizations in the United States. He also spoke about the issue of the Azerbaijan-Israel relations, the relations of Azerbaijan with the countries of the region, the role of the international economic projects, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilsi-Erzerum and Baku-Tbilisi- Ahalkalaki-Kars for the energy security and the infrastructure development.
Mammadyarov noted especially traditional peaceful co-existence of various confessions in Azerbaijan: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. The Minister informed the guests of the current stage of the negotiation process on the Nagorny Karabakh process peaceful settlement.
MP Mehriban Aliyeva, the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, also the UN Good Will Ambassador met with the members of the delegation of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, who are on visit to Azerbaijan, at the Foundation on Monday, the Foundation told Trend.
At the meeting Aliyeva informed the guests about the activities of the Foundation and spoke about the active position of the Foundation as a public organization in the Azerbaijani society. During the conversation Aliyeva mentioned tolerance in regard to other nations and religions, peaceful co-existence of the Azerbaijani people with good-natured neighbors during centuries, existence of tolerant society in Azerbaijan, which locates at crossing of the East and West.
The issues of monitoring the parliamentary by-elections in Azerbaijan will be discussed at the sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) sitting in eraly March, the head of the Azerbaijan delegation to PACE, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on international relations and intfer-parliamentary ties Samed Seyidov said.
The observation mission is expected to be headed by Leo Plattvoed who headed the PACE mission of 47 people in the 6 November parliamentary elections.
According to Seyidov, democratic and transparent by-elections are also important for Azerbaijan, as it is the matter affecting the countrys international image. The complete composition of the Central Election Committee of Azerbaijan (CEC) and the countrys delegation to PACE will be formed after by-elections.
Vatican highly appreciates the activities of Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, the chairman of the Caucasus Moslem Board, in strengthening of tolerance and religious indulgence in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, and rewards him with the Saint Gregorys order, nuncio Claudio Gugeretti, the representatives of Vatican in the South Caucasus, said at handing of the highest order of the Catholic Church to Sheikhulislam.
We witnessed high tolerance and religious indulgence in Azerbaijan through efforts of the Sheukhulislam, he added. According to Gugeretti, this tolerance makes good impression both on John Paul II, the ex-head of Vatican, and Benedict XVI, the current head of the Catholic Church.
Negotiations on development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Austria were held in Vienna. The consultations passed recently in the framework of the visit of the deputy Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Araz Azimov to the Austrian capital.
During his visit to Vienna Azimov met with the head of the political department of the Austria Foreign Ministry Tomas Meyer-Harting, the head of the South Caucasus and Central Asia department Hanes Porias, the Ambassador of Austria to Azerbaijan, Mrs. Heide-Maria Guerer.
Political aspects of the existing bilateral relations, the ways for their development, the issues of Azerbaijans involvement in the New Neighbourhood Policy, priorities of the political line of Azerbaijan have been discussed during the meeting. The Azerbaijan deputy Minister informed the Austrian officials of the negotiation process over the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict settlement.
Azimov was in Austria to take part in the OSCE workshop on military doctrines.
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
The cease-fire regime has been violated again on the front-line yesterday, on 17 February, the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry press service told Trend.
From 22.25 till 22.35 the units of the Armenian armed forces subjected to machine-gun fire positions of the Azerbaijan National Army, dislocated on the Kazakh region territory, from the positions 1,4 km north-east of the Vozkepar village, Noemberyan region.
From 23.50 till 00.00 positions of the Azerbaijan army 2,4 km west of the Gasangaya village, Terter region have been fired by the sub-machine guns. The enemy has been suppressed by the return fire. No casualties reported.
The embassies of Azerbaijan and the diplomatic missions at the international organizations will release papers in connection with the ongoing campaign of the Armenian Diaspora on groundless assertions on the so-called destruction of tomb-stones in Julfa District, Tahir Tagizade, the head of the Press and Information Policy Department of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, told Trend.
Tagizade said that the Azerbaijani embassy asserts that our country with consideration of manifold religious cultural heritage is keen on strengthening the political character of the society and announced the ancient Alban cemetery in Julfa District the archeological monument. Tagizade said that for Azerbaijan the protection of all historic and architectural monuments are of great priority. The diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan state that on the base of vague view records which depict some people of unknown nationality, annihilating the medium-size stones of unknown origin the Armenian side appealed to the Azerbaijani authorities with such groundless materials in an effort to distract the attention from such monstrous crimes, which were committed by the Armenian armies in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan. The embassies also stated that no historic and culture monument of Azerbaijani culture heritage was left undamaged. The economic structure in these regions of Azerbaijan is destructed purposefully. As a result of this policy the general damage to culture heritage of Azerbaijan comprises $7bn and includes the destruction of 180 mosques in the territory of Armenia, former Irevan Khannate, over 500 cemeteries, museums, 969 libraries, 850 musical schools, 4 theaters, 4 concert halls.
The main subject of discussions at the 5-th winter session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to be held in Vienne on 23-24 February will be the issues of conflicts and ethnical minorities in the world, a member of the Azerbaijan delegation PA OSCE, a Milli Mejlis deputy Rabiyat Aslanova told Trend.
She also noted, the PA OSCE committee will discuss a number of other issues and appoint the rapporteurs. Aslanova added, during the winter session its participants from 55 countries will be given detailed information on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. She also said, they remained displeased with the document on Nagorny Karabakh by the organizations rapporteur Goran Lenmarker. В"Azerbaijan and Armenia are equated with each other in the report, and no ways out of the conflict are pointed out there, Aslanova said, having not ruled out, this time the Azerbaijan delegation will meet with Lenmarker.
The statement prepared by the Azerbaijan delegation to the Parlaimentary Assembly (PA) of the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in regard to the 14-th anniversary of the Hodjali Tragedy will be produced to parliamentarians at the Assemblys 5-th winter session to take place in Vienna, the Azerbaijan delegation head, the Milli Mejlis deputy Eldar Ibragimov told Trend.
Ibragimov noted that the statement translated into English and Russian will be disseminated among the parliamentarians during the session. At the same time, the issue of the causes of the tragedy and not bringing to account of the guilty will be also raised.
On Wednesday the Cabinet of Ministers of the Council of Europe discussed an inquiry by Azerbaijan on Occupant Armenias membership at the CoE is unacceptable due to contradictory to major principles and criteria of the organization in its meeting in Strasbourg. MP Rafael Huseynov, the Azerbaijani parliamentary representative to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), an author of the inquiry, told Trend.
Huseynov said that addressing the gathering an Armenian delegate proposed not to include the issue in the agenda. However, Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev, the head of permanent representation of Azerbaijan at the CoE, stated to the meeting the necessity of including an issue on Armenias occupant policy and moreover, the issue was included in the agenda after the discussions. The ambassador once underlined that as a result of Armenian occupation Azerbaijan faced with a problem of over 1 million refugees, as well as official recognition of Armenia as occupant in the CoE resolution 1416, dated 25 January 2001, Huseynov stressed.
Huseynov said that there achieved a result meeting Azerbaijans interests. The CoE Committee of Ministers took a resolution to prepare a separate answer as a result of discussions. In accordance with the standard documents adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers, the answer with the question published earlier is disseminated in two months after repeated publication, he underlined.
The co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will discuss the present stage of the negotiation process on the Nagorny Karabakh conflict peaceful settlement in Washington in March, the Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in a statement for journalists.
В"They will exchange views on what stage the process is and following this they will address the sides, namely, they may propose to hold the meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers or pay a visit to the region, the Minister said. He added, it will be known after March.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs from France, USA and Russia came out with the communiquГ© on the results of the talks held in Paris on 10-11 February. The consultations will be held in early March in Washington with various aspects of future discussions on the Karabakh problem with the Foreign Ministries heads of Azerbaijan and Armenia to be looked into, the document says.
PACE President Rene van der Linden today expressed his great disappointment at the lack of breakthrough in the latest round of presidential talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the report of the Council of Europe reads.
"I must once again reiterate that there will be no sustainable development or prosperity for the region and no future for its children without a peaceful settlement to this dispute," said Mr. van der Linden, who held a series of high-level meetings with political leaders when visiting the region last August.
"I strongly encourage all parties to resume their discussions as soon as possible and with renewed determination. The Minsk Group process retains the full political support of the Assembly," he added.
The step taken by Armenian President Robert Kocharian during the last meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia testifies for his distrust on himself, Trend quoted Novruz Mammadov, the head of the International Relationships Department of the Azerbaijani Presidents Apparat, told Trend.
The reports on Kocharians leaving the talks held in Rambouillet castle outside Paris are right. Kocharian take an unserious step and actually demonstrated his distrust on himself in the talks, Mammadov underlined.
The Armenian President left the talks in Ramboitt Palace on Feb 11 in the pretext of death of Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyans closest relative.
The United States sorry for the lack of progress in the negotiation process over the Nagorny Karabakh conflict settlement, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish said in a statement today, Trend reports.
В"The USA pinned big hopes on the possible progress and signing the agreement on the results of the talks between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Rambouillet. However, as the reality showed, this progress was not such considerable as we expected, the US Ambassador said.
Along with this, Harnish noted, the White House will analyze the outcomes of the negotiations and will voice its final stance in Washington in March 2006 together with the OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen.
The Azerbaijani-Sweden federation addressed to Goeran Persson, the Swedish Primer, in relation to the visit of Robert Kocharian, the Armenian President, to Stockholm Ali Mollazade, the chairman of the federation, told Trend.
Kocharian as a war criminal participated in the occupation of 20% of the Azerbaijani territories, murder of thousands of people, genocide of Azerbaijanis, the message says. The address also mentions the hard consequences of the Armenian aggression started from 1991, ignoring of the UN resolutions and recommendations by Armenia, unconstructive position in the peace negotiations.
We hope that you will give preference to human rights and law of the whole people rather than interests of murderers and criminals, the message underlines.
Political life
The Central Elections Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan carries out enlightenment work in connection with the by- parliamentary elections to be held on 13 May 2006. The CEC told Trend over 5 weeks members of the commission will speak in the media on 10 themes in connection with the by-elections.
The enlightenment work will be carried out on Tuesdays and Fridays on AzTV and Public Television.
Ali Ahmadov, the deputy chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), the executive secretary of the party, Dallas Frorip, the head of the U.S. International Republican Institute (IRI) Baku office, at the headquarters of the party, the press service of NAP told Trend.
The sides held exchange of opinions on expansion of interactions between NAP and IRI, as well as the events taken in the framework of the ties. Frorip highly appreciated the election strategy of the United States, praised use of the international election practice in the very effective form by the representatives of the ruling party. According to Frorip, purposeful use of international election practice played very important part in the victory of NAP during the parliamentary elections.
Ahmadov stressed that the cooperation existing between NAP and IRI was in very high level. He also underlined that the relations between organizations would expand hence.
The decision by the Azerbaijan National Independence Party (ANIP), led by Etibar Mammadov, on participation in the by-elections to parliament is valid, Rashad Bayramov, the organizing secretary of ANIP, told Trend.
He noted that they did not discuss participation in the 13 May 2006 by-elections, as this process was continuation of the 6 November 2005 parliamenatry elections. During the ANIP leaderships tours related to preparation for congress, they studyied the opinions of the members of the regional branches on participation in the by-elections to parliament. The heads of the regional branches underlined necessity of participation in the by-elections, Bayramov added.
As to preparation for the congress, Bayramov said that the meeting had been held in 50 regional branches so far. In weekend the events will be organized in the zones Shaki-Gakh-Balakan-Zagatala and Khyzy-Siyazan-Davachi-Guba-Gusar.
The documents, signed and sealed by Ali Aliyev as the chairman of the Azerbaijan National Independence Party (ANIP), are invalid, Ali Orujev, the head of the press service of ANIP led by Etibar Mammadov, told Trend.
It should be mentioned that Aliyev signed and sealed the document on establishment of Azadlig (Freedom) political block on Friday.
Orujev noted that Aliyev did not have chairmans authorities any more at the decision by the congress of ANIP, held on 22 January. This person can not represent the party anywhere. His chairmanship in Azadlig block does not have any legal basis. After registration of ANIP by the Justice Ministry the duplicate of the seal belonging to the party will be taken from Aliyev, he said.
Orujev also stressed that the people, attracted Aliyev to their side, will understand their mistake soon. He sent a letter to the head of the parties, entered Azadlig block, with recommendation on adherence to the norms of the political ethics.
On Friday 4 opposition leaders approved new political block Azadlig (Freedom). The document on approval of the block was signed by Ali Karimli, the chairman of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Party (PFAP- reformers), Ali Aliyev, the chairman of the Azerbaijan National Independence Party (ANIP), Lala Shovkat Hajiyeva, the leader of the National Unity Movement, at the international press Center.
Karimli said that the goal of the political block, established on the base of Azadlig election block, was to hold democratic, free and transparent elections in the country, as well as seek for holding of the by-elections to parliament. He noted that at present the block consisted of 4 co-constitutors, but they would consider addresses of other parties, interested in being presented in the block.
The document was first signed by Rasul Guliyev, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, who is beyond the borders of Azerbaijan. The co-constitutors of the block said that the members of the block were due to participate in the forthcoming parliamentary elections from the single and common position. Karimli noted that the block would also use method of mass actions over its political activities.
The chairman of the Party of Democratic Reforms (PDR), a Milli Mejlis deputy Asim Mollazade met with the program director of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Dallas Frohrib, PDR told Trend.
The socio-political situation in the country and the issues of cooperation between PDR and IRI were discussed during the meeting. Mollazade gave comprehensive information on the party structuring to the guest.
The PDR chairman met also with the director of the International Fund on Electoral Systems (IFES) for Azerbaijan, Dan Blessington. At the meeting with him, the socio-political situation in the country, 13 May by-elections, PDR proposals on election legislation improvement and the issues of forming the democratic election system in the country were discussed
At the sitting of the Vahdat party held today the issue of partys participation in the dialogue with the authorities has been discussed. Members of the political council backed the partys participation in the dialogue with the authorities.
Preparatory works have been decided to perform in this respect. Holding talks and fulfillment of the decision has been entrusted to the party chairman Tahir Kerimli. He has not given any information how the process will be regulated in the future. He said there will be address to the opposite side in respect to the dialogue with the authorities.
The Azerbaijani Central Election Commission (CEC) is due to reflect the proportion of the political forces in the society, MP Mubariz Gurbanly, the deputy secretary of the New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), said.
The opposition expressed protest against participation of the parties, supporting the policy of NAP and being in minority in Parliament, in formation of new CEC. They stated that the representative of these parties was not due to join the composition of 6 representatives at CEC.
Our Azerbaijan block determined preliminary list of candidates to ballot in the by-elections to parliament, scheduled for 13 May 2006. The preliminary list determined election constituencies, where the chairman of 4 parties of the block would ballot from, Trend reports.
Vugar Beyturan, the chairman of the Turkic National Party, will ballot from Surakhany 3rd election constituency 31, Hassan Hassanov, the chairman of the Free Azerbaijan Party, - Aghdam rural constituency 119, Tahir Abbasly, the chairman of the Islamic Democratic Party, - Absheron constituency 44, Valeh Mirzayev, the chairman of the Popular Liberation Party, - Binagadi constituency 9.
The next meeting will determine constituencies, where heads of other parties of the block will ballot from.
The chairman of the Azerbaijan Liberal Party (ALP) will be elected in the forthcoming conference of the party, the founder of the ALP, the leadre of the National Unity Movemnt, Lala Shovkat Hajiyeva told Trend.
She noted that the conference was convened with respect to elect the chairman of the party and several candidates will be nominated to this post. Hajiyeva does not plan to nominate any candidate, as it is the function of the conference.
Hajiyeva said she will not return to this post, as the organization admits her as a leader. Let my successors to take this post, she underlined.
State building
Colonel General Safar Abiyev, the Azerbaijani Defense Minister, received on Thursday a Capestown group of the US National Defense University comprised of high ranking officers under leadership of the General Joseph Goar, the Azerbaijani Defense Minister told Trend.
The Minister informed the guests about the economic development and integration of Azerbaijan into the European security bodies. He noted that the progressive development of the Azerbaijani-US cooperation. The cooperation is of strategic character.
Touching upon the military-political situation in the South-Caucasus region and the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Abiyev said that ignoring the international rule of law Armenia continues the occupant policy and keeps under occupation 20% of the Azerbaijani territory. The leader of Armenia holds destructive position in the resolution of the conflict, places non-registered arms in the Azerbaijani lands and uses the territory for illegal purposes.
Colonel General Safar Abiyev, the Azerbaijani Defense Minister, received on Tuesday the military attachГ© of Slovakia to Russia and Azerbaijan, Colonel Ivan Bellani, the Defense Ministry told Trend.
During the fact-finding meeting the Minister congratulated the military attachГ© and wished him successes in the development of the Azerbaijani-Slovak relationships.
None of the airports of Azerbaijan is presented for use of the United States, Safar Abiyev, the Azerbaijani Defense Minister, said to journalists on Friday, Trend reports.
It is absolutely wrong and provocative information. None of the airports of Azerbaijan is presented for use of the U.S. side, the Minister stressed.
In his Exclusive interview of Trend with the head of the National Central Bureau of Interpol in Azerbaijan, Madat Guliyev, said that the second meeting of the working group held in Baku early this February under Kalkan project was a significant event and organization of such a forum in Azerbaijan testifies for the high level confidence on the Azerbaijani government and its law-enforcement bodies by the General Secretariat of Interpol.
The key objective of the forum was to design proposals on consolidation of efforts of the member-states of Interpol for struggle with terror, development of some proposals in the sphere of expansion of exchange of information in the sphere of definition of place of people in search and their arrest.
it is dealt with the especially serious types of crimes, and proposals designed in this respect are of confidential character. As soon as the General Secretariat of Interpol gets familiar with the proposals they will be forwarded to all members of the organization under the grief of confidential. If the countries regard the proposals expedient, the methods proposed will be applied in practice, he said.
The Azerbaijan Interior Minister, Colonel-General Ramil Usubov is on a visit to Barda today, the Interior Ministry press service told Trend.
The head of the Barda executive power Elman Allahverdiyev informed Usubov of the crimes committed last year in the area. The minister is currently holding meetings with the public, taking interest in the problems of the local residents. Usubov presented technical devices for local roads betterment.
Azerbaijan is ready to present guarantees for peaceable co-resistance of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities after the liberation of the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, Trend quoted Oktai Asadov, the Azerbaijani speaker, as stating to ANS local television cannel on Thursday. He made a statement in a meeting with the EU commissar on foreign relationships and European Neighborhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
Azerbaijan backs the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the base of international law, the speaker stated. He also noted that Azerbaijan accounts on the resolution of the problem with the assistance of EU experience.
Ferrero-Waldner voiced the EUs readiness for expansion of cooperation with Azerbaijan in its integration to the European bodies.
Ogtay Asadov, the chairman of the Milli Majlis [Parliament], received Rino Harnish, the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan on Thursday, the press service of the Milli Majlis told Trend.
The meeting discussed interstate relations. The sides highly appreciate the roles of the Presidents in deepening of the bilateral relations, which are in the level of strategic cooperation.
Asadov mentioned necessity of strengthening of interparliamentary ties. Touching upon the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict, Asadov voiced hope that the USA as OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman-country would assist Azerbaijan at the peaceful regulation of the problem in the framework of the international legal standards.
Harnish underlined that multilateral relations existing between the countries would dynamically develop hence.
The delegation headed by the leader of the Congress of the local and regional authorities of the Council of Europe Giovanni di Stazi met on 13 February with the chairman of the Central Election Committee (CEC) of Azerbaijan Mazahir Panahov, CEC told Trend.
Di Stazi noted CEC plays an important role in democratization of Azerbaijan. He said, he had got familiar with the efforts of the leadership of Azerbaijan to establish the legislative base meeting the international standards and assessed highly establishing favorable conditions for activities by CEC in 125 constituencies. The official from the Council of Europe took interest in the date of the elections to municipalities, the results of which were cancelled after their holding in 2004.
The National Association of municipalities of Azerbaijan (NAMA) may be established in early 2007, Caroline Martin, project director on NAMA establishing program, representing the Secretariat of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CE) told Trend exclusively.
She noted the Steering group on NAMA establishing will hold 4 meetings till the end of 2006. A certain number of issues remain to be discussed among the members and observers of the Steering Group, such as the internal structure and statutes of the association, the communication and distribution of information, the financial sustainability, etc. Therefore another 4 meetings of the Steering Group should be organized until the end of the year 2006. The establishment of the Association could then take place in the first months of 2007.
The initiative on setting up the Karabakh commission comprising the group of deputies is feasible during the spring session of the Parliament, the chairman of the Great Establishment party, a Milli Melis deputy Fazil Gazanfaroglu told Trend.
He said, to this end, the campaign for collecting signatures had been held among the deputies. The document has been signed by 18 deputies. В"Our goal is to prepare a set of relevant proposals by the commission aimed at resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and to keep the issue in the focus of the permanent attention.
The deputy reported also, at first they came out with the initiative of establishing a Karabakh fraction at the Parliament. However, due to the failure, the fraction had been replaced by the commission. Gazanfaroglu said also, among 18 deputies who had signed the document there are representatives from oppositional and pro-ruling parties.
Spokesman from presidential office is needed in Milli Mejlis, the chairman of the parliamentary permanent commission on human rights, a deputy Rabiyat Aslanova told Trend.
Aslanova said, this method is used in the international practice as well. В"For instance, it is also used in the Russias State Duma and some European countries. The commission chairman said also, the presence of this representative at the Parliament is necessary for making clear some of the moments which may arise in regard to documents which come to the Parliament from the presidential office, for responding the deputies inquiries.
The projects, implementing by international organziations in the Azerbaijani penitentiary system have great importance, Vilayat Zahirov, the Deputy Minister of Justice, said at a meeting with CE delegation in Baku, Trend reports.
Zahirov informed the guests about reforms, carrying out on improvement of the activities of the Azerbaijan's penitentiary system. He underlined the importance of the projects, implementing by international organizations in the sphere.
Margaret Killerbi, the head of the Department for Problems of Criminality of the CE Secretariat, who led the delegation, highly appreciated the reforms in the Azerbaijans penitentiary system and expressed satisfaction with productive cooperation in the sphere. She voiced hope that the program would yield succesful results.