Official news
20 November was the 16th anniversary of the explosion of the helicopter carrying senior officials of Azerbaijan over Garakend village of Azerbaijan's district of Khojavend. The MI8 helicopter was fired by the Armed Forces of Armenia on 20 November 1991 and as a result, 22 people died. The victims included Azerbaijan's Interior Minister Muhammad Asadov, Prosecutor General Ismat Gayibov, State Secretary Tofig Ismaylov, his assistant Rafig Mammadov, members of the USSR Supreme Council Veli Mammadov and Zulfi Hajiyev, Department Chief of Presidential Administration Osman Mirzayev, Head of Shusha City Executive Power Vagif Jafarov, journalist Ali Mustafayev, operator Fakhraddin Shahbazov and others. According to the information by Azerbaijan Prosecutor General's Office, the investigation over this case was ceased due to Armenia's occupation of the Azerbaijani territory where the accident took place. It was impossible to find out offenders.
The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva arrived in France on 19 November.
President Aliyev met with the Director General of the Total company Christophe de Margerie. They noted the long-term successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Total and expressed hope for further cooperation.
President Aliyev met with the chairman of the French Senate Christian Ponselle and the French President Nocolas Sarcozy on 20 November.
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, issued an order approving the Azerbaijani side of the Azerbaijani-Uzbekistani Inter-Governmental Commission for Economic Co-operation.
According to the order, the Chairman of the Commission's Azerbaijani side will be the first Deputy Prime Minister, Yagub Eyyubov. The Commission included Minister of Energy and Industry, Natig Aliyev, Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Fizuli Alekperov, Minister of Communications and Information Technologies, Ali Abbasov, Minister of Youth and Sport, Azad Rahimov, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with the Azerbaijanis Residing Abroad, Nazim Ibrahimov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Niyazi Safarov, Deputy Transport Minister, Musa Panahov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Bahram Aliyev, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Adalat Veliyev, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Namik Abbasov, Head of Cabinet of Ministers' Administration's Department for Economic Relations with CIS countries, Kamal Islamzade.
The protocol on establishment of Azerbaijani-Uzbekistani Inter-Governmental Commission for Economic Co-operation was signed on 18 June 1997 in Tashkent.
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, received a delegation at the Presidential Place on 22 November which was led by the Hungarian Minister of Economy and Transport Janos Koka.
President Aliyev commented on the possibility to realize joint economic projects, including the energy sector. "Currently, the energy issue is crucial for Europe and with its huge oil and gas reserves, Azerbaijan is playing an important role," he said.
Minister Koka expressed his country's interest in expanding with Azerbaijan economic relations and the energy sector.
The Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received Osman Arslan, the Chairman of the Turkish Supreme Court at the Presidential Palace on 22 November.
During the meeting the two sides stressed that the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey had developed at a high level in all directions. The relations between the law-enforcement bodies and juridical organizations greatly contributed in the development of bilateral bonds.
They both voiced their confidence that the visit of the chairman of Turkish Supreme Court to Azerbaijan would contribute in strengthening relations between the relevant organizations of the two countries.
On 23 November, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, received Chairman of Iran's Majlis (Parliament) Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel and his accompanying delegation at the Presidential Palace.
Ilham Aliyev said relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have always been developing. He mentioned bilateral agreements boosted the two countries' relations in all fields, stressing joint implementation of various projects "brings our people closer". The Head of State expressed assurance that this visit will contribute to the strengthening of inter-parliamentary relations between Azerbaijan and Iran. Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel expressed satisfaction with his second visit to Azerbaijan. He thanked Ilham Aliyev for hospitality shown to him and his delegation. Haddad-Adel said he believes his visit will serve expansion of existing cooperation between the two countries` parliaments.
On 23 November, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, received president of the International Judo Federation, Marius Vizer. Head of the Azerbaijan State congratulated Marius Vizer on his election as president of the Judo Federation, noting the State of Azerbaijan pays constant attention to the development of sports in the Country, and the Azerbaijan Government builds modern sport facilities, which fully enable to conduct international contests. Marius Vizer thanked for sincere congratulations. The meeting mainly focused on the further cooperation between Azerbaijan and the International Judo Federation.
Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President and the chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), called on political forces to talk.
"The application of advanced experience of political parties in Azerbaijan depends not only on us. All political forces should participate in the process. I hope the forces which pass on this co-operation, will understand that there is no other way," President Aliyev said to a ceremony dedicated to the 15th anniversary of NAP.
The President said that the political system in Azerbaijan should be improved, political relations should be developed in a civilized manner and reprisals and groundless accusations should end.
"The NAP has become the only serious political force in the political arena of Azerbaijan. The number of forces desiring to rival us is reducing gradually. There is no room for traditional opposition," President Aliyev said.
The New Azerbaijan Party was founded by Heydar Aliyev ex-President of Azerbaijan in 1992. President Ilham Aliyev is the current chairman of the ruling party.
Foreign policy
The Turkish States, which left the former Soviet Union and gained independence, have succeeded in a democratic system, the 9th Turkish President Suleyman Damiral, said during the 11th meeting of friendship, fraternity and cooperation of the Turkic nations and societies in Baku.
According to Mr Damiral, the meeting has been held since 1993.
The transmission to a democratic system of the Turkish states from the Marxist system was not so easy for these countries, Mr Damiral noted.
There are problems with democratization in Turkey. "The main thing is to choose the right direction. In this direction Turkish states must not lose patience, belief, unity and must be proud of their nationality," Mr Damiral said.
The ex-President also touched upon terrorism and the poverty Turkish states are faced with.
Mr Damiral was awarder with the Orkhon-Yenisey award in the field of friendship, brotherhood and cooperation of the Turkish world.
The Turkish nations call upon not to take decisions concerning the so-called Armenian genocide, which may negatively affect on the situation in the region.
The participants of the 11th meeting of friendship, fraternity and cooperation of the Turkic nations and societies call upon world community to stick to concrete position in the future.
The documents includes regret due to some countries parliaments consider the so-called Armenian genocide and as a result they pass the decisions which contradict international rights, as well as cause dissatisfaction among the Turkish nations. "We, the participants of the meeting call upon to prevent the claims by Armenians," the Participants stated.
Armenians contend that around 1mln Armenians were underwent genocide. However, it does not correspond the reality as only 150,000 Armenian reside in the territory in 1915.
"It is not advantageous to Azerbaijan to allow NATO and other countries to use its territory in their dirty policy against Iran," the Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Nasir Hamidi Zare said to journalists on 20 November.
"It was not yesterday when our states were established. We have our own history, morals and manners, and no one can dictate us how to contact with our neighbours," he said.
" Iran is not concerned about the so-called possible threat from Azerbaijan, as the official Baku and the Azerbaijani President repeatedly stated on free will policy pursued with respect to Iran. We do not care the reports from the Azerbaijani opposition about possible threat for Iran from Azerbaijan," the diplomat said.
The Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Nasir Hamidi Zare denies Iran supplies drugs to Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani law-enforcement bodies are with increasing frequency reporting about a drug threat proceeding from Iran.
"Every day Iran officially detains and gives out to Azerbaijan about 100 Azerbaijanis accused of drug trafficking and drug addiction," the Ambassador said to journalists on 20 November when commenting on the reports.
According to the Ambassador, Iranian law-enforcement bodies are seriously fighting against drag trafficking to Iran from Afghanistan and Middle Asia. That is why Azerbaijan and other countries in the region do not feel the problem as it is.
Georgia is a reliable partner for its neighboring countries in the establishment of long-term strategic projects, said Gela Bezhuashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, in talks with journalists on 21 November. He was commenting on the commencement of the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway route.
"We want to tell our neighbors that partnership with equal rights can lead to better results, rather than the effects of pressure attempts," he said.
The Minister stressed that this project establishes a unified economic area. It is established by Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, however it is open for all, and any country may join it. It offers great prospects for economic development," he stressed.
Bezhuashvili stressed that China and Korea, which can deliver cargo to Europe beyond Russia, will join this project.
Peace should be accepted as a basis of relations with the European Union (EU), Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, said addressing to the conference on Baltic countries and EU New Neighborhood Policy' in Riga on 23 November.
The conference began with determining common European values, which lay on the EU New Neighborhood policy.
Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, also stressed the importance essential European values. The notion of 'neighborhood' gives to understand that there is definite person and his neighbors and this person defines the players. During 1990s the EU concluded an agreement on partnership with the countries of the Central and East Europe and the document offered these countries a status of partner. "Many of these countries have entered the EU, whereas some of them were included in the European Neighborhood Policy and it was promotion for them. Now the question is where the European Neighborhood Policy can provide closer cooperation with the EU," Mammadyarov said.
Addressing the conference Diana Wallis, the Vice President of the European Parliament, spoke about general key values, towards which the EU member-countries are striving for. This peace, respect to the international law and economic prosperity in the general market in the free trade regime. Special attention was paid to experience of Baltic countries and their wish of contributing in the EU New Neighborhood Policy. "The Blatic coutries have experince in entering the the EU and we apply this experience in far eastern region. However, this policy should not be imposed, but accepted. We would not like our actions to be accepted as a burden of our policy and strategy," Wallis said.
The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, called on Europe to abandon 'double standards' on 'frozen conflicts' which exist in the GUAM territory, Trend Special Correspondent reports from Riga.
"Double standards are implemented with regards to the conflicts which exist in the territory of Azerbaijan and other GUAM countries - Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova," the Minister said in his speech at the high-level international conference entitled The Baltic States and the EU Neighbourhood Policy in Riga on 23 November.
According to the Minister, all conflicts should be settled on the base of the international law. He called on Europe to abandon 'double standards'.
A project for the resolution regarding lingering conflicts in GUAM, in particular Dniester ( Moldova), Nagorno-Karabakh ( Azerbaijan) and Georgia-Abkhazia was developed and included in the agenda of the UN General Assembly at the end of 2006.
In his speech, Mammadyarov touched on Azerbaijan's approach to the EU Neighbourhood Policy. The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan said that the partner countries can co-operate with regards to transport, energy, communication, etc. "Such co-operation may be effective for the EU and all partner countries," he said.
According to the Minister, Azerbaijan participates in the energy dialogue with the EU. "Such co-operation provides new opportunities to deliver energy resources from the Caspian region to Europe," Mammadyarov said.
The conference is being organized by the Latvian Foreign Ministry and the Baltic Assembly in collaboration with the European Commission representation in Latvia.
Taking part in the conference are more than 200 prominent politicians and experts from approximately 30 countries around the world. Participating in the conference are the Speakers of all three Baltic state parliaments and the Estonian Foreign Minister. Armenia, Georgia, Belarus and Moldova are represented at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers
Also attending the conference are the Vice-President of the European Parliament Diana Wallis, the EU Special Envoy for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, and the Director of the European Neighbourhood Policy Coordination, European Commission, Rutger Wissels.
Political Movements
Gradually the unity of the Turkic world will become stronger and nobody can prevent it, said the ninth President of Turkey, Suleyman Demrel, who is on visit to Azerbaijan, on 19 November in Baku.
According to him, the unity and co-operation of the Turkic countries will gradually become stronger. Demrel said that seventeen years of the co-operation of the Turkic countries is not so long period and the problems with regards to democracy and free speech will found their solution gradually. "The democratic liberal system is very difficult. In addition, transferring from Marxist to democratic system is not easy. However, the peoples should not abandon democratic development," Demrel said.
He said that it needs to present to the international community the problems of occupation, terror and genocide being faced by the Turkic countries. According to Demrel, it is wrong to feel hurt or stand away that the international community indifferently approaches the problems of the Turkic countries.
"It is easy for peoples to be impatient towards injustice, but the Governments should proceed from interests of people," Demrel said.
The Azerbaijani Adalat opposition party considers impossible participation of opposition with a single candidate at the upcoming presidential elections. There are a lot of candidates wishing to nominate their candidature during the elections, Mutallim Rahimli, the deputy chairman of the Adalat party, said.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held on 15 October 2008. Some opposition parties are planning to attend at the elections with a single candidate. The Azadlig bloc, which unites three opposition parties, will boycott the elections. The bloc considers necessary to improve the election legislation of the country and form election commissions on parity basis.
Adalat was founded in 1993. In 1996 the party joined the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan. Since 2000 the MP Ilyas Ismaylov has been chairs the party. Ismaylov nominated his candidature for the president post during the presidential elections in 2003.
A group of Turkic scientists is developing a project on creation of unified Turkic language, professor Bakhtiyar Karimov, an Uzbek scientist, who is also an academician in the International Informatization Academy, said to Trend.
The 11th meeting of friendship, fraternity and cooperation among Turkic nations is taking place in Baku from 17 to 19 November. Creation of unified Turkic language will be among the issues under discussion.
According to Karimov, Turkic nations possessing common ancient history, culture and traditions should communicate in the same language. Therefore, a group of scientists, including Karimov, is developing a unified Turkic language. A unified alphabet of Turkic speaking nations is being created - letters, sounds, words, and grammar.
"This unified language should be understood by all Turkic speaking nations. It should be used at their joint events and should become a unified language for communication in the Turkic world. This language my receive the status of international one in future and become the 7th language used in the UN," he said.
The number of Turkic speaking people in the world exceeds 200mln, while 75mln speak French and another 100mln treat French as not native language. After receiving the status of international, unified Turkic language will spread over still vaster territory, Karimov said.
The 11th conference of friendship, fraternity and cooperation of the Turkish nations and societies adopted a final resolution. They also adopted a resolution condemning the claims on the so-called 'Armenian genocide'.
He final report indicated the necessity of realizing proposals on the establishment of a permanent secretariat of the summit of the head f state of Turkic speaking countries, a unified television and radio and publications of the Turkish countries, as well as unified Academy of Sciences and electric library. The document also stressed the importance of injecting an issue on recognition of the Khojaly genocide, protect the rights of Azerbaijanis residing in Georgia, Iraq and other countries and establish the Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic countries.
It is also panned to develop mutual cooperation of the Turkish nations in the spheres of economy, tourism and culture, establish the Economic Union of the Turkish countries, to hold unified measures, establish Turkish culture centers in the European countries.
The participants in the conference adopted a resolution and final report comprised of 40 proposals. The 11th conference concluded its work.
Supporters of Javad Darahti, the former chairman of the World Congress of Azerbaijanis, are planning to hold a special meeting this February, which may lead to a split of the organization. Darahti has demanded the resignation of Gulamrza Tabrizi, the current chairman of the organization, and has called for a special meeting of the WCA's European department.
According to Darahti, documents from a meeting held on 7 July were not submitted to the tax bodies of Sweden where the organization was registered. Darahti stated that in compliance with Swedish laws, the documents must be submitted to the appropriate agencies within three months.
"On 6 November, I received an official letter which stated it was necessary to hold the next meeting within three months. We will hold this meeting in February and propose the election of WCA co-chairpersons from Azerbaijan, Russia and Europe", said Darahti. He also stated that he would not nominate himself for the chairman post.
The WCA's current chairman said that the documents of the meeting held on 7 July were submitted to the tax bodies of Sweden a month and half ago. Tabrizi said that Darahti is attempting to split the organization again.
Khazar Emin, one of Darahti's supporters, said that the participation of about 70 people who are expected to attend the special meeting of the organization in Stockholm in February, will provide legitimacy to the meeting. According to Tabrizi, only five men out of seventeen support Darahti's nomination to the chairman position, "and a meeting of five men cannot be considered legitimate."
The WCA was founded in the United States in 1997. The organization protects the rights of Azerbaijanis living abroad. In 2001, the organization was divided into two parts. The separated group became the Democratic World Congress of Azerbaijanis.
It was decisded to cease the activities of former charman of the Congress of Wotld Azerbaijanis (CWA), member of the Presidium, Javad Derakhti, Gulamrza Sabri Tebrizi, the chairman of the CWA, said in his statement on 20 November.
Tebrizi said that Derakhti violated the charter and showed disrespect to the resolutions of the Conference, held on 7 June 2007. He introduced himself to some media outlets as the chairman of the CWA. Derakhti said that in February 2008 he will hold the 11th conference of the CWA.
Members of the Presidium attempted to meet with Derakhti, who is in Baku, though he refused.
"Members of the Presidium, the representations of Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Russia and activists of the CWA discussed these actions. They counteract the Charter, sow discord. Therefore, it was decided to cease DErakhti's activities with in the CWA's Presidium," Tebrizi said.
Derakhti will hold a news conference on 20 November.
A celebration concert dedicated to the protection of human rights will take place within the first joint demonstration of Azerbaijani public organizations on 9 December, the head of the public forum 'For Azerbaijan', Eldar Namazov, organizer of the demonstration, said to Trend on 22 November.
On 10th December is the Universal Day of Human Rights Protection. Five public organizations consisting of media representatives, youth and human rights NGOs have decided to hold a demonstration, Namazov said. According to Namazov, the demonstration, which is to take place on 9 December, will differ from others by taking on a celebratory mood. "Certainly, we will speak about human right problems at the demonstration. But through a celebratory mood we would like to show people's optimism in fighting for the protection of their rights," he said.
The demonstration will be accompanied by live music and the songs will be dedicated to human rights and public problems.
On 2 November, the forum will apply to the Baku Executive Power in order to receive permission to hold a demonstration in the Ukrainian Square in Baku on 9 December from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Political parties and the opposition representatives will be invited.
Until now demonstrations have been held only by political parties, and youth organizations and media representatives have been holding protest actions. This will be the first joint demonstration by public organizations.
It is impossible for the political forces in Azerbaijan to combine. "It is not real to establish a government of coalition and national trust in Azerbaijan," the member of opposition Musavat Party, MP Nasib Nasibli, reported to Trend on 22 November.
Headed by the President of Public Forum 'For Azerbaijan', Eldar Namazov, a document was adopted on 21 November to establish Civil Charter of neutrals 'For national solidarity and democratic revival'. The document says that one of the goals of the charter participants is to establish professional Government of National Trust.
According to Nasibli, based on the public-political processes in Azerbaijan amongst both neutrals and political forces, it is impossible to establish Government of National Trust.
The Azadlig bloc demands minimum conditions to take part at the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan in 2008, Ali Aliyev, co-chairman of the bloc, said to Trend news agency on 22 November.
The Presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan on 15 October 2008.
The bloc demands to provide freedom of assemble, as well as the access for political parties to electron media and to stop pressure on journalists.
Azadlig may take part at the elections if the aforesaid conditions to be provided, Aliyev said.
Azadlig unites three opposition parties, the Popular Front Party, Liberal and Civil and Development Parties of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani opposition party Adalat does not support the activities of political parties within blocs.
Adalat is against the unification of the opposition within the blocs and we do not plan to participate in any of them," MP Ilyas Islamilov, the chairman of Adalat Party, said in talks with journalists on 22 November.
Adalat entered the Coordinating Council of the opposition established on the eve of the 2003 presidential elections and Democratic Azerbaijan established on the eve of the 2005 parliamentary elections.
Ismayilov said that some opposition parties pursue their own goals in the bloc and in this respect Adalat is refused from entering any union. "We are all for parties to follow the law and moral norms in their activities," Ismayilov said.
The right-centrist opposition party Adalat was founded in 1996. In 1997 they joined with the Azerbaijani Democratic Party (ADP). After split from the ADP in 2001 Adalat held its first rehabilitation conference.
A new political bloc will be established for the presidential candidate from opposition Musavat party. "A range of political and public organizations is likely to establish a bloc for the presidential candidate from Musavat party Isa Gambar," the head of the party's administration Arif Hajili said to journalists on 23 November.
Musavat decided to take part in the presidential elections to be held in Azerbaijan in October 2008 and nominated Gambar.
On the threshold of the presidential elections of 2003, the political organizations supporting Gambar established the Our Azerbaijan bloc. After Gambar lost the elections his supporters left the bloc.
According to Hajili, establishment of the new bloc will begin next year. The party intends to take part in the elections without any terms.
Opposition Musavat party was founded at the beginning of 1992. Its leader, Isa Gambar, was the speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament from 1992 to 1993. In 2003, he ran for presidency. The party is represented by 5 MPs in the Parliament.
The consultative structures of 20 parties aspire to title of the Azerbaijani opposition, Vugar Beyturan, chairman of the Our Azerbaijan bloc, said.
The meeting with participation of 20 parties, leaders of eight political parties, united in the Our Azerbaijan, as well as Way of Azerbaijan, members of the Union for Democracy, Great Establishment, Open Society, Umid, Social-Democratic, Taraggi and United Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan was held on 22 November.
The meeting was dedicated to democratization of the election system and Election Code of Azerbaijan.
According to Beyturan, the agenda of the latest meting included discussions concerning unification of the parties into a bloc, but the issue was postponed. The participants of the meeting made decision to sign an agreement to stop the information contradiction.
The new composition of the bloc will not include a range of organizations like Musavat , Democratic Party, Liberal Party and Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan.
Normal elections may be held in Azerbaijan using the present Election Code.
"Democratic elections may be held without making amendments and supplements to the Election Code. The key issue is creation of conditions for democratic elections and the presence of will," the leader of the opposition Azerbaijani National Independence Party (ANIP) Etibar Mammadov said to journalists on 23 November.
The presidential elections will take place in Azerbaijan on 15 October 2008. Several opposition parties, including Azadliq bloc uniting three opposition parties (the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, the Liberal Party, and the Citizens and Development Party), stated that should the election legislation not be improved and elections commissions are not formed on a parity basis they would boycott the elections.
No agreement was achieved at the discussions on amendments and supplements in the Azerbaijani Election Code which were organized with the assistance of the CE Venice Commission in Baku at the beginning of November.
Democratic elections are dependent on the resistance force of the society. As society does not have enough of a resistance force, the authorities do not take into consideration the demands of the opposition regarding making changes to the Election Code, Mammadov said.
"The society should be organized and it should define its living requirements. People of culture should take an active part in this connection," Mammadov said.
According to Mammadov, due to weakness of resistance force of the society activities of opposition parties including those of ANIP are not satisfactory.
Write-wing ANIP, the first opposition party in Azerbaijan, was registered in 1992.
The problems which exist in the society should be resolved not forcibly, but through talks and civil way, said the Chairman of opposition Adalat Party, member of Azerbaijan Parliament's Human Rights Commission, Ilyas Ismaylov, during the 4th congress of the party on 24 November.
The congress is being attended by 339 representatives selected from 65 regional departments. In addition, the congress brings together the representatives from political parties in Azerbaijan, ruling New Azerbaijan Party and pro-governmental parties. During the congress, a report was delivered by Ilyas Ismaylov. He said that the third congress of the party was held in 2001, adding that the 4th congress had to be held in 2005, but it delayed by two years. Ismaylov highlighted several factors presenting objective obstacles to the activity of Adalat Party and other opposition parties. He linked them with the issues that the parties are not established through social order, comes together around persons, but not ideas, as well as with political silence and citizen indifference, interference of executive powers in activity of parties and financial difficulties. "We are an opposition party and fight for our goals. However, it does not mean that the opposition should pay hostile attention towards all steps by the government. All steps, by government or opposition, directed towards improving welfare of population should be supported," Ismaylov said.
The issue concerning financing of political parties by the Azerbaijani Government is being discussed, MP Siyavush Novruzov, deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan party, said during the meeting of the Adalat opposition party on 24 November.
MP Panah Huseynov, member of the MP group of Musavat party, and MP Fazail Gazanfaroglu, chairman of the Great Establishment party, noted that there were serious problems in opposition parties functioning of Azerbaijan.
Gazanfaroglu said that there were serious problems in political parties financing sphere. The problem can be resolved through financing of political parties by the State Budget.
Nobody can destroy Azerbaijani traditional opposition from the political arena by pressure.
"As for restoration of proportional election system, in the future, may be settled through referendum," Novruzov said.
Novruzov added that New Azerbaijan was ready to cooperate with all political parties.
NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Armenian armed forces fired at Azerbaijani National Army troops from Kuropatkino village in the Khojavand region of Azerbaijan, from 1.30pm to 1.10am on 18-19 November; from Chayli and Chilaburt villages in the Terter region, from 5.50pm to 10.40pm; from Garakhanbeyli and Ashagi Veysalli villages in the Fizuli region of Azerbaijan, from 11.05pm to 12.00am; and from Javahirli village in the Agdam region of Azerbaijan, from 3.10am to 3.59am on 19 November, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported.
The Azerbaijani army retaliated, and no casualties were reported.
The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan is not satisfied with the performance of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is regulating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh. "The OSCE Minsk Group should reinforce its measures on the issue. The current performance on the matter does not satisfy us," Safar Abiyev, the Azerbaijani defense Minister, said during a meeting with Daniel Shambon, the accredited military attache of the French Armed Forces.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
During the meeting Abiyev noted that military cooperation between France and Azerbaijan should be reinforced.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry stated the distribution of military techniques by Russia to Armenia, withdrawn from Georgia, causes a danger to the region.
"Part of the military equipment withdrawn from Georgia, Russia sent to the Azerbaijani occupied territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Eldar Sabiroglu, head of the press-service of the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan, said.
Russia sent 70% of military equipment withdrawn from Georgia to the Armenian military base 102 in the region of Gumru. Taking into consideration the military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, allocation of Russian military equipment in Armenia increases the risk of war.
Sabiroglu said that the position of Russia hinders the peaceful regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. According to Sabiroglu, Russia began founding its military base in the Armenian 102 base.
The settlement of the conflict will continue until Russia holds double policy on the issue.
" Azerbaijan prefers peaceful regulation of the conflict but Azerbaijan's attempts for this purpose cannot continue forever. Azerbaijan can liberate its occupied territories by other ways, Sabiroglu noted.
There is not another unfair war like the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the former Turkish President Suleyman Damiral, said in an interview with journalists on 19 November.
According to the former President, a range of countries have conflicts with neighbours, but it is not possible to solve all of them by war. The sides should find other ways of settlement to conflict.
"The Karabakh conflict is our heartache. I do not see another unfair war like this conflict. Azerbaijanis have been removed from their homelands. The Azerbaijani Government constructs homes for internally displaced persons and refugees but it does not mean Azerbaijan ignores Karabakh," Mr Damiral said.
Touching upon the alleged Armenian genocide, Mr Damiral said that during the last 100 years, Armenians have attempted to dictate false history to the United States Senate, European Parliament and Parliaments of other countries.
Yet there is not any, even initial agreement between the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict sides, the probability of war is always in existence, said the EU Special Representative for South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, in his interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
"The situation may be stable, but incidents in the line of contact of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops take place almost each week. It is very dangerous because they may provoke to military operations. I should mention that the EU has not mandate to observe the incidents and will not have in the near future," he said.
In addition, the EU Special Representative said that the growth of the military budgets of Azerbaijan and Armenia presents concerns.
" Azerbaijan is rapidly developing and feels itself stronger, but it does not mean that it may resolve the conflict through military operations or economic pressures. These hopes of Azerbaijan are increasing. Armenia also develops and naturally raises its military expenses. The situation in the world is always incurs changes and the stability which was in existence 1.2 years ago may change. I think that it needs to re-assess the situation here," Peter Semneby said.
"I agree with the recommendations of the International Crisis Group that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict sides should agree with the proposals which exist on the current negotiation table," said the EU Special Representative for South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, in his interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
According to him, it does not need to use the upcoming Presidential elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan to further protract the conflict settlement.
"The report of the Crisis Group says that the EU has tools of influence within the European Neighborhood Policy, but we can only act to re-establish trust between the conflicting sides. The sides are supposed not to use the EU as pressure for the conflict settlement. Our position is unchangeable: the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is being settled by the OSCE Minsk Group," Semneby said.
"I am sure that it is possible to re-establish trust relationships between Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples. I do not know when a concluding decision will be made on Nagorno-Karabakh issue, but it is very important that the peoples of the two countries can normally communicate with each other until the decision is made," said the EU Special Representative for South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, in his interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
According to him, when the neighboring peoples do not communicate with each other, it brings to abnormal and dangerous situation. "In the best case, generations have grown up which do not know each other, and in worse case, an enemy vision has created. If it continues so, it will be more difficult to come to a common agreement. I can mention the same case in the relations between Turkey and Armenia. The situation is almost same, but it is possible to do more here. Turkey should be more open. As regards to Armenia, it can accept those Turkish proposals that do not touch upon important problems. Indeed it would be better and easier if Turkey would join the European Union because then Armenia will be a neighbor to the European country. However, Turkey's entrance to the EU is a very long process and nobody can say when it will conclude," the EU Special Representative said.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry stated the distribution of military techniques by Russia to Armenia, withdrawn from Georgia, causes a danger to the region.
Part of the military equipment withdrawn from Georgia, Russia sent to the Azerbaijani occupied territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Eldar Sabiroglu, head of the press-service of the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan, said.
Russia sent 70% of military equipment withdrawn from Georgia to the Armenian military base 102 in the region of Gumru. Taking into consideration the military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, allocation of Russian military equipment in Armenia increases the risk of war.
Sabiroglu said that the position of Russia hinders the peaceful regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. According to Sabiroglu, Russia began founding its military base in the Armenian 102 base.
The settlement of the conflict will continue until Russia holds double policy on the issue.
" Azerbaijan prefers peaceful regulation of the conflict but Azerbaijan's attempts for this purpose cannot continue forever. Azerbaijan can liberate its occupied territories by other ways, Sabiroglu noted.
Seyran Shahsuvaran, the Armenian press-secretary of the Defense Minister, called absurd the statements by Eldar Sabiroglu, head of the press-service of the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan, that part of military equipments withdrawn from Georgia was located in Nagorno Karabakh. Shahsuvaran also called preposterous the statements by Azerbaijan that Armenia was to establish the new military base. "We need to conclude a range of Intergovernmental agreements on high level in order to open the second military base," he said. Withdrawal of the Russian military equipments from Georgia to Armenia cannot affect on regulation of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
Georgia and Russia signed three regulations according to which Georgia has not any claims due to withdrawal of Russian military equipments. In compliance with the regulation it is planning to withdraw the Russian military equipments from Georgia in 2008. The withdrawal of the Russian 62nd military base was completed before the scheduler date by 1 October 2007.
In order to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict both sides - Azerbaijan and Armenia - should make concessions, the deputy director of the CIS Countries' Institution Vladimir Zharikhin said.
"Both Armenia and Azerbaijan should make serious concessions and that requires strong political will of the authorities," he said to Trend on 20 November.
According to Zharikhin , Russia principally opposes independence for unrecognized republics. "We are accused of freezing conflicts, but we have a rather clear position - if there is no decision satisfying both sides, the conflict is better to be frozen rather than to make one-sided decisions, as the United States intends to do with respect top Kosovo," he said.
Had Russia acted the same way, she would have recognized independence of Abkhazia, South Osetia , Nagorno-Karabakh, etc. he said. "We recognize territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Georgia but stressing that the conflicts are not settled and it should be frozen," he said.
Armenian armed forces in the Berkaber village of the Ijevan District of Armenia fired at Azerbaijani National Army troops in the Gizil Hajili village of the Gazakh District, at 17.45pm on 20 November, and from positions near the village of Chayli in the Terter region of Azerbaijan from 22.05pm to 22.35pm, as well as near the village of Javahirli in the Agdam District on 21 November from 06.05am to 06.45am, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported.
The Azerbaijani army returned fire, and no casualties were reported.
Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict depends on the US's position on the Kosovo status, the chairman of the Federation's Council Committee on CIS Affairs Vadim Gustov said.
The positions of the sides to the Kosovo conflict have not drastically changed. Pristina still insists on complete independence for the region, including full-right membership to the UN and other international organizations, while Belgrade agrees only to the status of wide autonomy.
The Kosovo issue is expected to be considered without taking into consideration Belgrade's position, Gustov said on 20 November during a video-link between Baku and Moscow.
The United States and the European Union want to complete the fruitless negotiations as soon as possible, but Russia supports Belgrade insisting on continuation of talks. " Russia does not want Kosovo to be independent, because that may have very bad consequences," he said.
According to Gustov, Kosovo's independence will first off all affect the Trans-Dniester Region and the Nagorno-Karabakh. "These regions will also strive for independence and that will aggravate the situation. Therefore, Russia considers it best to keep peacekeeping forces in Kosovo," Gustov said.
On 10 December, the UN Security Council is expected to make a final decision on the Kosovo status.
On 21 November at nearly 10:30 a.m., some divisions of the Armenian Armed Forces again began military training in occupied Azerbaijani lands.
Divisions of the Armenian Armed Forces use heavy artillery during the trainings, which are being held in an occupied Talish village of Azerbaijan's Tartar district, Trend Regional Correspondent reports. The residents of the village say that the drills are conducted with strong explosions and shells of heavy military equipment falling on the land.
The conflict between the two countries in the South Caucasus began in 1988 as a result of Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied twenty percent of Azerbaijan's land, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement, at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan stated that while the occupied Azerbaijani territories remain without control, the Armenian Armed Forces continue to hold intensive military trainings there.
The Armenian Armed Forces fired at the Azerbaijani National Army troops from Alibeyli village in the Terter region of Azerbaijan, from 4.25pm to 4.30pm on 21 November; from unnamed hills in the Khojavand region of Azerbaijan, from 6.45pm to 7.00pm and from Javahirli and Tagibeyli villages in the Agdam region of Azerbaijan, from 1.40am to 1.55am and from 4.00am to 4.45am on 22 November, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported.
The Azerbaijani army retaliated and no casualties were reported.
The Armenian Armed Forces fired at the Azerbaijani National Army troops from Kuropatkino village in the Khojavand region of Azerbaijan from 09.14pm to 09.55pm on 22 November; from Garakhanbayli and Alkhanly villages in the Fizuli region of Azerbaijan from 11.15pm to 01.45am and from Javahirli village in the Agdam region of Azerbaijan from 01.00am to 01.10am on 23 November, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported.
The Azerbaijani army retaliated and no casualties were reported.
