Official chronicle
Dec. 13
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev today signed an Executive Order conferring the high military ranks to a group of officers of the Ministry of Emergencies of Azerbaijan Republic, AzerTAj state news agency reported.
On another Executive Order, the President of Azerbaijan awarded a group of Ministry's employees with medals and orders.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the renowned French actor Gerard Depardieu, AzerTaj state news agency reported. Gerard Depardieu said he was admired with the visit to Azerbaijan. At the Alley of Honors, the French actor paid tribute to the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, he underlined. President Aliyev stressed the exclusive role of Heydar Aliyev in state building in Azerbaijan and informed on his important merits for the nation. During the meeting, questions of cinematography development were also in focus.
Dec. 14
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev of the Azerbaijan Republic today received credentials of the newly appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Hungary to the country Zsolt Chutora, the AzerTaj state news agency reported.
Dec. 15
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, AzerTAj state news agency reported.
Azerbaijani President also sent a letter of congratulation to Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Dec. 17
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory message to Emir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on country's national holiday, AzerTAj state news agency reported.
PARLIAMENT
Dec. 17
The Azerbaijani Parliament adopted a new staff of the delegation in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. A delegation headed by vice-speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Bahar Muradova will represent Azerbaijan in the OSCE PA for the next five years. Eldar Ibrahimov became her deputy; Fattah Heydarov, Rabiyyat Aslanova, Azay Guliyev, Agalar Veliyev are members.
Political movements
Dec. 14
A forum of Azerbaijani opposition parties held today discussed prospects of joint struggle. According to the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party (APFP) chairman Ali Karimli, this forum could lead to fundamental changes in Azerbaijan's policy. "We can take advantage of the rights given us by the Constitution and, by collecting 300 signatures, make a proposal to amend the Constitution. But this issue can not be solved by individual organizations. This is possible in case of consolidation of all democratic forces," Karimli said. The forum, held at the initiative of the opposition bloc "Azerbaijan Popular Front Party - Musavat" was attended by opposition and independent candidates from National Independence Party, Classic Popular Front Party, Azadliq Party, Azerbaijan Democratic World Party, People's Party of Azerbaijan.
Dec. 16
A regular meeting of the Council of Chairmen of the electoral bloc "Karabakh" was held at the Azerbaijani Umid Party's headquarters on Thursday. The meeting was attended by the Umid Party Chairman Igbal Aghazade, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party Chairman Sardar Jalaloglu and the Aydinlar Party Chairman Gulamhuseyn Alibayli.
The Azerbaijani opposition party stands for constitutional reforms. This initiative will be announced at a round-table meeting. The representatives of the OSCE Office in Baku and the political parties represented in parliament will attend it, Fazil Mustafa, chairman of the opposition Great Establishment Party, told.
Foreign policy
Dec. 13
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry does not consider the possibility of exchanging the territories to delimitate the state border with Georgia. "The issue of territorial exchange in the border area Keshikchi dag is not a matter of debate," Elkhan Polukhov, spokesman for the Azerbaijani foreign ministry, said commenting on the statement by Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze. The complex Keshikchi dag, which Georgians call David Gareji complex, is located on the uncoordinated side of the border with Georgia.
Dec. 14
Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and South Korea Kim Sung-Hwan discussed in Seoul the ways of enhancing cooperation in economic and cultural spheres, as well as regional and international issues. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister noted the development of bilateral Azerbaijani-Korean relations and invited Kim Sung-Hwan to visit the country next year.
Dec. 15
Celebratory events were held on the opening of the honorary Azerbaijani consulate in New Mexico this week. George Friedman, a renowned political analyst and the founder of the Stratfor, addressed the event, the Azerbaijani General Consulate in Los Angeles reported.
Foreign ministers of South Korea and Azerbaijan agreed to work closely together to develop mutually beneficial cooperation projects combining rich resources of the Caspian nation and advanced Korean technologies, the South Korean foreign ministry said Wednesday.
Montenegro and Azerbaijan have good and friendly relations, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and Azerbaijan's newly appointed Ambassador Eldar Hasanov agreed during their meeting in Podgorica on Monday, the statement of Montenegro government says. In this respect, he announced the organization of a business forum of Montenegro and Azerbaijan, aimed at further promoting the two countries' partnership. The Ambassador conveyed to PM Djukanovic an invitation from Azerbaijani leaders to visit Baku.
Dec. 16
Lithuania intends to develop cooperation with Azerbaijan during its OSCE chairmanship. Lithuania's top officials are scheduled to visit Azerbaijan in the first half of next year for this purpose, the country's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Kestutis Kudzmanas, told. "President Dalia Grybauskaite, Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius and Parliamentary Speaker Irena Dyagutene wil make an official visit to Azerbaijan," the ambassador said. The speaker's visit is scheduled for Feb. 9-10. Also, in the coming months, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis will visit Baku as OSCE acting chairman. Lithuania will chair the OSCE from January.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will visit Azerbaijan in early 2011, the European Commission's office in Brussels told Trend. During his visit to Baku to be made on Jan. 13-14, Barroso will discuss economic and political aspects of cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan. The focus will be made on energy projects. At the moment, Barroso is supposed to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Other details of the visit, including meetings with senior officials of Azerbaijan, are still worked out, said the European Commission.
Dec. 17
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received Secretary General of the Cooperation Council of Turkic countries Khalil Akyndzhi, the Ministry said. The guest thanked Minister for the reception and gave detailed information about current activities of his organization and future plans.
TurkPA Secretary General Ramil Hasanov discussed joint activities and projects with the secretary of the Coordinating Council of Turkic-speaking countries, ambassador Khalil Akyndzhi.
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Dec. 14
The monitoring held on the contact line between Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces outside the Kemerli village in the Gazakh region of Azerbaijan on Dec. 14 is regarded as completed, but the Armenian side was about 1-1.5 kilometers away from the earlier coordinated place, Deputy Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry Teymur Abdullayev said.
Dec. 15
OSCE hopes to address the issue of disqualification of snipers from the Armenian-Azerbaijani contact line, said Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk during routine monitoring of the OSCE contact line in Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to Novosti-Armenia.
Dec. 16
In case of a war with Armenia, Azerbaijan can rely on the support of Turkey, Turkish MP Onur Oymen told Trend on Thursday. "Turkey will support Azerbaijan in all conditions. We must return the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, it is our friendly, fraternal, human duty. Turkey can not remain silent when the Azerbaijani territories remain occupied, and we always talk about it," said the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Republican People's Party Oymen.