Official news
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited Japan on 7-10 March. He had a number of meetings, including talks with the Japanese Emperor and Prime Minister, the chairman of the Board of Directors of Itochu Corp. and Inpex, heads of the Azerbaijani-Japanese league of interparliamentary friendship.
The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is not subject of the peace negotiations with Armenia on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, said at the Japanese International Relations Institute in Tokyo, Trend reports referring to Azertaj.
According to Aliyev, the subject of the negotiations is liberation of the occupied territories, repatriation of the victims of the ethnic clearance and aggression, granting Nagorno-Karabakh with high status of autonomy within Azerbaijan.
All these must meet norms and principles of international law. We hope for peaceful settlement of the conflict. International community must play more active part in the solution of the conflict, which is the largest hindrance for development of the region on the whole, the President stressed.
Touching upon development of oil and gas sphere, Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan can play the role of energy source for Europe, experiencing gas crisis and looking for alternative sources. He stated that pipelines were being constructed to take Azerbaijani gas and oil to the world markets.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with the chairman of the Board of Directors of Itochu Corp., Unichiro Niva, on Friday with in the framework of his official visit to Japan, Trend reports in reference AzTV television channel.
During the meeting Niva with satisfaction remembered his meeting with former late Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev in 1998 in the course of the Winter Olympic Games in Nagan and stressed his companys strong interest in expansion of business in Azerbaijan. The current visit by the Azerbaijani President to Tokyo opened new perspectives for the boosting cooperation between the two countries.
Recalling his first visit to Japan in 1996 the Azerbaijani leaders stressed that the visit by former President Heydar Aliyev to Tokyo and the agreements signed during the visit gave impetus to the development of the Azerbaijani-Japanese relationships.
After Aliyev held a meeting with the President of Inpex Corp., Kunihiro Matsua. The head of the company appreciated the result of the Azerbaijani-Japanese economic forum and underlined that over the past two year Azerbaijan has achieved considerable successes in the sphere of economic progress. Matsua noted that in autumn 2005 the Azerbaijani embassy in Tokyo played a considerable role in the expansion of the bilateral bonds.
Besides, the Azerbaijani President received the chairman of the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation, Kuosuke Sinozava to discuss the perspective for development of cooperation in the financial sector.
On the last day of the official visit the signing ceremony of bilateral documents was held at the residence of the Japanese Primer. Aliyev and Koizumi signed joint declaration on further development of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Japan.
Azerbaijani Economic Development Minister Heydar Babayev and Japanese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Tadahiro Abe signed agreement on technical cooperation between Azerbaijan and Japan, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Tadahiro Abe - cooperation program between the Foreign Ministries of the countries.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the Azerbaijani women in connection with 8 March International Womens Day, Trend reports. In his letter the head of state stressed the exclusive role of woe in the formation development of the national values.
As a nation with deep cultural heritage the people of Azerbaijan has always approached the role of women in the family and society with respect. The successes achieved in the sphere of science, culture, health and other fields showed the highest potential of women, the congratulatory message noted.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on financing work, to be implemented under the program measures on intensification of socio-economic development of villages of Baku. The decree notes that with respect to ensure the implementation of work the Ministry of Finances is committed to ensure approval of 26m manats out of the Reserve Fund of the President set by the 2006 public budget.
The funds will be distributed among the Ministry of Education (8.0m manats), the Health Ministry (2.1m manats), the Ministry of Youth and Sports (1.9m manats), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (0.6m manats), the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (0.1m manats), the Executive Power of Baku (2.0m manats), Azerigas joint-stock company (6.2m manats), Azersu JSC (5.1m manats).
Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, signed a decree on establishment of the Diplomatic Academy under the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday, Trend reports.
The decree underlines that the Academy is established to provide the Foreign Affairs Ministry and other state bodies acting in international sphere with highly skilled personnel.
Foreign policy
Next round of consultations between Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU) started in Brussels on 7 March under the EUs New Neighborhood Policy.
Mahmud Mammadguliyev, the Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister, as well as officials of different ministries and state bodies represent Azerbaijan in the talks.
It should be mentioned on 12 December 2005 the official start to discussions of the Action Plan between Azerbaijan and EU within the European Neighbourhood Policy was launched. At that time the head of the Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia office head, Yug Mingarelli arrived in Baku. In this meeting the sides will discuss the final version of the Action Plan between Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU) in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).
Artur Rasizade, the Azerbaijani Primer, invited his Egyptian counterpart Ahmad Nazif to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan, the Egyptian embassy in Baku told Trend. Rasizade handed over the invitation to Yusif Ahmad Al Sharkavi, the Egyptian Ambassador to Azerbaijan.
The head of the Azerbaijani government voiced readiness for reception of the Egyptian Primer at any time.
Elman Arasly, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Saudi Arabia, has been awarded a highest order of the Kingdom for great contribution in the establishment and development of Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia. Muslim Imanzade, the adviser of the embassy told Trend that the Saudi Foreign Minister, Emir Saud al-Feysal, presented the Azerbaijani diplomat in a solemn ceremony the order which was awarded by King Abdulla Aziz al Saud, the Custodian of Two Islamic Worships.
In a meeting staged in connection with the completion of diplomatic activities of the Azerbaijani diplomat, the Saudi FM voiced his satisfaction with the permanently growing Azerbaijani-Saudi relationships, which have become comprehensive over the past years. They specially underlined the significance of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs official visit to Saudi Arabia in March 2005, which gave new impetus to the development of the relationships.
Arasly thanked for the award and attributed it as a sign of respect to the people of Azerbaijan and its government and the aspiration of the both countries to further development of the bilateral relationships.
In connection with the completion of diplomatic mission in this country the Ambassador was received by Crown Prince and Defense and Aviation Minister of Sultanate, Abdel Aziz and senior ranking officials of Saudi Arabia, had numerous meetings with the representatives of official, public and business circles of this country.
Emir of Qatar Khamad bin Khalifa al Sani will visit Azerbaijan this year. The announcement by the Emir in a farewell meeting with the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Elman Arasly, in connection with the completion of his diplomatic tenure in this country, the Azerbaijani embassy in Saudi Arabia told Trend.
During the talks emir emphasized the importance of visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Qatar in 2004 for further development of bilateral relations between the two countries and noted the necessity of further initiatives required to strengthen the results of the visit. Emir also asked the Ambassador to tell the Azerbaijani President about his plans to visit Azerbaijan this year.
Ambassador Arasli also met with hereditary prince Tamim bin Khamad al Sani, Foreign Minister Ahmed Makhmud and the head of staff the Qatar`s armed forces Ali Atiya. In the course of meetings a number of issues, including the opening of embassies in Baku and Doha were discussed.
Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried will travel to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and Turkey March 13-17, 2006. He will be accompanied by Senior Advisor for Eurasia Steven Mann, Terry Davidson, the Division Chief of the Press and Outreach Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, told Trend.
On March 13-14, Assistant Secretary Fried will meet with senior Azerbaijani officials to discuss our bilateral relationship, democracy, and Nagorno-Karabakh. He also has meetings scheduled with civil society and business leaders in Baku.
On March 14-15, Assistant Secretary Fried will meet with senior Georgian officials to discuss U.S. support for Georgia's democratic reforms, the peaceful resolution of separatist conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Georgia's ties to Euro-Atlantic institutions.
On March 15-16, Assistant Secretary Fried will hold meetings in Yerevan with senior government officials to discuss our bilateral relationship, democracy, and Nagorno-Karabakh.
On March 16, Assistant Secretary Fried will depart for Ankara, Turkey, where he will meet the Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister for U.S. Bilateral Affairs and discuss his trip to the Caucasus.
Experts of the Council of Europe will start visiting Azerbaijan from 15 March to get familiar with the level of preparations for the re-run elections due on 13 May 2006, Trend reports citing MP Samed Seyidov, the head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
A meeting of the CE Monitoring Committee held in Paris on 8 March mulled the preparations for the forthcoming re-run elections in Azerbaijan.
Seyidov said the hearings were normal and the co-chairs made no critical remarks on the preparations for the forthcoming re-run elections. The gathering did not adopt any resolution, but only focused on exchange of opinions.
A meeting of the Council of Europes Monitoring Committee was held on Wednesday (8 March), MP Samad Seyidov, the head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Seyidov said that the meeting will mull different issues including the forthcoming re-run elections in Azerbaijan scheduled for 13 May 2006.
MPs Gultakin Hajiyeva and Aydin Abbasov, member of the Monitoring Committee will represent in the gathering, which will focus on exchange of opinions and hear information on the forthcoming re-run elections in Azerbaijan.
Along with rapporteurs members of the Committee will also participate in the gathering. No document will be adopted in the meeting, according to Seyidov.
The forthcoming official visit of the Azerbaijani President to Japan assumes great importance for development of interstate and interparliamentary relationships, Novruz Mammadov the head of the Foreign Relationships Department of the Presidents Apparat, told Trend. He was commenting on President Aliyevs visit to Tokyo due to start on 7 March.
According to Mammadov, the Azerbaijani-Japanese relationships boosts day by day. The high-level political dialogue and economic cooperation meet both sides interests. The present will pay a visit to Tokyo at the invitation of the Japanese PM to expand and deepen the bilateral relationships, as well as multilateral relationships, he stressed.
In his exclusive interview with Trend the Turkish Foreign Minister, Abdulla Gul, said, We pay special attention to the relationships between Turkey and Azerbaijan, which were very good characterized by former late Azerbaijani Heydar Aliyev as one nation, two countries. The development of bilateral relationships in all spheres excites satisfaction. With respect to enable Azerbaijan to overcome the difficulties that evolved after independence Turkey has rendered a comprehensive support to Baku in the military, financial, technical, human and education spheres. Such support and assistance will continue in future,
Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict he said that the conflict provoked by Armenia through the violation of the principles of the international law, including the inviolability of the state borders by force and respect to the territorial integrity, concerns not only the countries of the region, but also all sides interested in peace, stability and tranquility in the south Caucasus.
Turkey, being a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, attentively observes a process of the conflict resolution. We hope that under the Paris format it will be possible to promote the peaceable resolution of the conflict. It is important to continue the dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the level of Presidents and Foreign Ministers, he underlined.
Peter Semneby, the newly-appointed EU special representative for South Caucasus, will pay a visit to Baku from 15 to 17 March, Trend reports quoting Arif Mammadov, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Belgium.
According to Mammadov, during the visit the EU special representative will have familiarization meetings in different Azerbaijani Ministries and departments to discuss the further cooperation between Azerbaijan and EU, the EU New Neighborhood Policy.
Semneby will replace Heikki Talvitie, the former EU special representative.
The PACE co-rapporteurs on Azerbaijan, Andres Herkel and Andreas Gross will arrive in Baku as observers, Estonian MP Andres Herkel told Trend exclusively.
The visit will take place till 1 June 2006. It is not part of the monitoring mission over the 13 May 2006 by-elections to the Milli Majlis [Parliament], Herkel stressed. The decision on the visit of the co-rapporteurs was made at the meeting of the PACE Monitoring Committee in Paris on 8 May.
Besides, Herkel did not exclude that their visit may be paid during the re-run elections and the co-rapporteurs would also participate in the direct observation over the elections. Gross and I will arrive in Baku separately to conduct monitoring. Determination of the exact date of the visit is technical issue, PACE co-chair noted.
Anatoliy Kinakh, the Secretary of the Ukrainian Council of National Security and Defense (CNSD), noted that Ukraine regarded the cooperation with Azerbaijan in fuel and energy complex as priority and was interested in the activization of the bilateral dialogue in this direction, Trend reports referring to the press service of CNSD, which quots Kinakh as saying at a meeting with Abbas Abbasov, the Azerbaijani First Vice-Primer.
During the meeting Abbasov and Kinakh discussed the course of the preparations for the seventh meeting of the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian joint intergovernmental commission.
EC drew up 10m euros plan on Azerbaijan for 2006-2007, Trend reports referring to Samad Seyidov, the head of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE.
He noted that EC prepared concrete plans and issues on elimination of some problems in Azerbaijan. Seyidov stressed that every measure related to the working plan would be transparent. Besides the working plan of EC for 2006-2007, Azerbaijan also started intensive activities on approval of the working plan with EU. It means that Azerbaijan does not step aside from the chosen way, will continue the cooperation with EU, CE and other international organizations, regarding it as priority, Seyidov underlined.
Touching upon baseless accusations in regard to Azerbaijan by international organizations, Seyidov noted that it was related to positive moments existing in the foreign policy of the country. Therefore, Armenians try to infringe the Azerbaijans image.
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
Armenian armed frequently violated the ceasefire regime in the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline. No injuries were reported.
No breach has been fixed in the OSCE monitoring held in the contact lime of the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces in Borsunlu village of Terter district on Friday in accordance with a mandate of the OSCE chairman-in-office, the Defense Ministry announced.
Harry Eronen and Peter Key, field assistants to the special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office, will hold monitoring in the Azerbaijani side of the frontline.
Yuri Aberle and Imre Palatinus, special envoys field assistants, are in charge of monitoring in the Armenian side of the contact line.
The statements on military settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, voiced recently, are apprehended negatively, Lori Bristow, the British Ambassador to Azerbaijan, said on Monday.
According to Bristow, peace negotiations are more optimal way of solution of the problem. The UK supports continuation of negotiations process and regards it as more acceptable version, which ensure long-term peace in the region and meet interests of all sides, the British diplomat stressed.
Bristow said that he did not have any illusions in relation to possible military solution of the problem, frozen during many years. I want to mention that the Azerbaijani and the Armenian Presidents are loyal to the liabilities on peace settlement of the conflict and I support their position, the Ambassador stressed.
The Co-Chairs will hold next meeting in Istanbul on 20 March, says statement issued by three Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group after a meeting in Washington on 7 and 8 March to discuss the latest developments regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The mediators expressed again their gratitude to the President of the French Republic for making that meeting between President Robert Kocharian and President Ilham Aliyev possible.
Assessing the current state of affairs in the region, the Co-Chairs reaffirmed their belief that a great deal of progress has been achieved in the past year and a half. They regret that the process has not moved forward in recent weeks though, despite ample opportunity to do so.
They urged both parties to build on the basic principles for a future settlement that have already been developed in order to achieve an agreement in 2006. Referring to their joint statement at the OSCE Permanent Council on 2 March, the Co-Chairs continue to believe that objective conditions make 2006 a highly favourable year for substantial progress, and they call upon the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to work vigorously to achieve this result. The Co-Chairs further call upon the Government of each country to take steps with their publics to prepare them for peace, and not for war.
The Co-Chairs will decide on their next trip to the region after further assessment of the readiness of the parties.
The results of the negotiations of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Rambue, France, forced the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to reconsider the positions of the conflicting sides. It is clear that the situation is in very difficult stage and the co-chairs must refrain from any statements, Trend reports quoting Araz Azimov, the Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister, said.
The co-chairs have to refrain from statements, as they dont want to risk. Spreading of information in any form can aggravate the situation or change the course of the events, Azimov stressed. He added that the current position of the co-chairs is true.
The last statement by the Armenian president cannot be regarded as something significant, Novruz Mammadov, the head of the Foreign Relationships Department of the Presidents Apparat, told Trend. He was commenting on the Armenian Presidents statement on three possible steps by Armenia, including the recognition of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, legal registration of Armenias responsibility for security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, consolidation of security zone around Nagorno-Karabakh.
According to Mammadov, it hints to uneasy state of the Armenian authorities, who try to boost own rating within the country. Such statements do not correspond to international norms and principle of the rule of law, but negatively impact on the peace processes, Mammadov underscored. Armenia cannot recognize the so-called NKR, as it contradicts all principles of the international law and contradict the diplomatic frames and etiquettes.
It shows that the conflict and adjacent processes linked with it target prolonging the term of current Armenian authorities, he urged. The Armenian leadership ought to understand Azerbaijan will never make territorial compromises and the Azerbaijani preset has numerously stated about it. So, they should not get into illusions, he stressed.
Pakistan is ready to render assistance to Azerbaijan in the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, Trend reports quoting Muhammad Hafiz, the Pakistani Ambassador to Azerbaijan.
The Pakistani Ambassador noted that the visit of Musharraf Parviz, the Pakistani President, to Azerbaijan in 2004 and the visit of Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, to Pakistan in April 2005 stimulated establishment of interstate relations and friendly ties. Hafiz also stressed that these relations and ties continued to expand. Pakistan always supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, while Azerbaijan backs up Pakistan in the Kashmir issue. We will support Azerbaijan in the peaceful regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he added.
The meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) Political Affairs Committee will discuss the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Paris on 14 March.
The issue comes 10th in the preliminary agenda of the meeting, Trend reports. Lord Russel-Johnson, the head of the PACE Subcommittee on Nagorno-Karabakh, will deliver a statement at the meeting.
The meeting of the Political Affairs Committee will be staged during the spring session of PACE, which will be held in Strasburg from 10 to 13 April.
Political life
The determination of voters lists is over in relation to the by-elections to parliament, Trend reports quoting Igbal Babayev, the Director of the Sechkiler information center of the Central Election Committee (CEC). The first stage of determination was completed at all 10 constituencies. The voters lists will be publicized on Tuesday and posted up at all election stations on Thursday. The renewed version of the lists will be posted up on the website of the information center www.infocenter.gov as well. At present the website includes data on the candidates balloting in the re-run elections.
The 2nd stage of determination of lists covers period after announcement of lists. The citizens, who did not find their names in the lists, can address to the information center and seek for injection of their names into the lists. These changes will be injected till 9 April i.e. 35 days prior to voting. After 9 April citizens will be able to appeal to court to restore their names in the lists.
The U.S. State Departments report on human rights in Azerbaijan includes many moments unreflecting realities, Trend reports quoting MP Ali Ahmadov, the Executive Secretary of ruling New Azerbaijan Party, as saying to journalists.
He noted that Azerbaijan always stated that double standards in regard to the country did not reflect the realities and included biased moments. According to Ahmadov, similar moments recurred in regard to Azerbaijan. Thus, the U.S. State Departments report 2005 includes moments unreflecting realities. The moments related to democratic climate, freedom of press and defense of human rights in Azerbaijan, including, estimation of the November 2005 parliamentary elections dont fully reflect reality, Ahmadov stressed.
He noted that the moments, touched upon in the report by the U.S. State Department, as well as in other documents of international organizations and estimation of most Azerbaijanis on this issue are different.
5 parties entering the Supreme Mejlis of pro-governmental parties might be represented in the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), Trend reports citing the chairman of the organization, the leader of the Democratic World of Azerbaijan Party, Mamed Alizade.
The parties entering the Supreme Mejlis, including the parties Democratic World of Azerbaijan, the Free Republicans, party of National Statehood and Enlightenment, are eager to unite and form a single center. This offer was moved forward by the chairman of the party of free republicans Kamil Seyidov.
A preliminary agreement in this respect was reached among the chairmen of the parties. If we support the ideas of the ruling party, then our union is a necessary one, he stressed. I think after merger we can start thinking of entering the NAP.
He also noted that unification of the said five parties is due to take place in some. After that they will clarify together with the leadership of NAP existing questions.
State building
On Friday Muhammad Hafiz, the Pakistani Ambassador to Azerbaijan, held a meeting with the head of the interparliamentary friendship group Azerbaijan-Pakistan, Eldar Ibrahimov. The meeting focused on the bilateral relationships.
Ibrahimov noted the services of the heads of states in the upgrade of friendly relationships between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. MP said that such meetings contribute to the development of the interparliamentary cooperation between the two countries. Ibrahimov also announced that the head of the commission on international relationships of the Pakistani parliament invited Samed Seyidov, the head of the permanent parliamentary commission on international relationships and interparliamentary relationships of the Azerbaijani parliament, to Pakistan. He attributed such visits as preparation for the meeting of the head of the parliament the two countries.
Pakistani ambassador underlined the necessity of such meetings for the development of the interstate relationships.
A military cooperation agreement was signed between the ministries of defense of Germany and Azerbaijan in Baku, the Azerbaijani National Defense Ministry told Trend.
Agreement was signed as a result of staff negotiations held in Baku between the officials of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan and Federal Ministry of Defense of Germany.
Talks centered on current political situation in the South Caucasus region, problems of international security, relations between Azerbaijan and NATO, as well as exchange of opinions on cooperation in international peace keeping missions. Questions of bilateral cooperation were also discussed at the talks.
Defense and security policies, military education, military legislature, military history, information exchange aspects were as well included in the meetings agenda. The signed agreement also considers expansion of cooperation in the frames of the NATO program Partnership for Peace. Agreement was signed from Azeri side by general lieutenant Chingiz Mammedov, and from German side by brigade general Carl Mullner.
Representatives of the Azerbaijani military have joined some military events starting from 7 March, the Defense Ministry told Trend.
In compliance with the individual program signed between NATO and Azerbaijan under he NATOs Partnership for Peace Program a conference Cooperative Longbou/Lancer started in Chisinau 7 March 2006, while a major planning conference on Cooperative Mako 2006 training will start in Romania on 9 March.
In compliance with the bilateral military cooperation plan signed by Azerbaijan and Germany, the headquarters talks ongoing in Baku will end 10 March.
The Ministries of Emergencies of Azerbaijan and Turkey will sign a protocol on cooperation, Trend reports in reference to the Turkish media. The agreement has been achieved in a meeting of the Ministers for Emergencies of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Kamaladdin Heydarov and Mehmet Ali Shahin.
During the meeting Shahin noted that the bilateral relationships between the countries were in high level and Ankara was keen on developing the cooperation in the sphere of prevention of the emergencies.
The Turkish State Minister noted that late April- early May 2006 he will arrive in Azerbaijan with regard to ink protocol on cooperation.
Heydarov appreciated the steps taken by Turkey to prevent the emergencies within the country, as well as in the international arena and noted Azerbaijans interests in study of Turkish experience.
Head of the project in legal reforms in Azerbaijan of the German Technical Cooperation Society (GTZ), professor of Bremen University, Rolf Knieper, held a meeting with the staff of Milli Mejlis and a group of MPs, the parliament told Trend. The head of Milli Mejlis apparatus, Safa Mirzoyev, has described law making duties of parliament, and emphasized importance of cooperation with GTZ in the area of modernization of Azerbaijan`s legislative procedures.
In course of the meeting, Prof. Knieper reminded of meeting held in the Azerbaijan parliament several years ago and especially underlined measures undertaken during this year in an effort to modernize law making procedures in Azerbaijani parliament. Development of the draft law Administrative execution in accordance with European standards, introduction of progressive changes into the Civil Code, the Code of Administrative violations as the scholar noted was appreciated by GTZ.
Meeting also centered on active exchange of opinions on modification of the legal procedures in the Azerbaijani parliament. Improvement of a part of the Civil Code in relation to physical and legal entities in Azerbaijan with the assistance of GTZ was also highly evaluated.
A solemn event was held on the 14th anniversary of the Azerbaijani Internal Forces on Saturday. In his remarks, Ramil Usubov, the Internal Affairs Minister, noted that during the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan the Internal Forces like other law-enforcement bodies showed selflessness in defense of our territories and liberation of lands, Trend reports.
According to Usubov, the Azerbaijani leadership keeps social security of the staff of the Internal Forces in the center of the attention. Over the last several years the Internal Forces decisively participated in prevention of some mass illegal actions, aimed against the statehood. Besides, the Minister mentioned the role of the Internal Forces in the defense of the national interests and internal peace in the country.