Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr E. Huseynli / Broadcasting of Russian RTR-Planeta TV channel through Azerbaijani national frequency will be stopped on 1 January 2007 in case Russia fails to agree upon mutual broadcasting, the chairman of the Azerbaijani National Television and Radio Council Nushiravan Maharramli said to Trend on 12 November.
According to Maharramli, Russia still has time by the end of the year.
During the meeting of the Council held at the beginning of January it was decided to terminate the translation of the Russian ORT and RTR-Planeta channels in Azerbaijan. Broadcasting of ORT was stopped on 10 July, and broadcasting of RTR-Planeta was extended, after Russia applied to Azerbaijan but on the condition that an Azerbaijani TV channel would be broadcast in Russia. Aulthough the draft agreement on Regulations and Terms of Boroadcasting between Azerbaijani and Russian Governments was adopted, Russia delays development of a technical agreement.
Azerbaijan is interested in mutual broadcasting, Maharramli said. According to Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasiliy Istratov, Russia agreed to broadcast Azerbaijani AzTv, and technical issues are being explored now.