Azerbaijan must ensure maximum production of strategic foodstuffs, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated in Baku on 11 February. Addressing a conference on the results of the implementation of the state program on socio-economic development of Azerbaijan the head of state said that the consolidation of local production is a major priority. According to the President, production security is becoming more relevant. "The issue is of a global nature, whilst in 2007 food prices rose in all world countries," he said.
On 12 February the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the Turkish Ambassador Huseyn Avni Karslyoglu in connection to the completion of his diplomatic tenure in Azerbaijan. The Head of State stressed that Azerbaijani-Turkish friendly and fraternal relations were successfully developed in a variety of fields. President Aliyev noted Karslyoglu's contribution to the expansion of bilateral relations. The Ambassador expressed his confidence that Azerbaijani-Turkish bonds would continue strengthening, and thanked President Aliyev and the Government of Azerbaijan for the care and attention shown to him during his tenure in Baku.
On 13 February, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the Tajik delegation led by the Minister for Economic Development and Trade- Gulomjon Bobozoda, who has been appointed as co-chairman of the Azerbaijan-Tajikistan Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation. Mr. Gulomjon Bobozoda said that in accordance with the duties resulting from the meetings of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, the Working Group on the Azerbaijan-Tajikistan Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation had launched its activities and held a number of useful meetings in Baku. Mr. Bobozoda informed that the next meeting of the Commission is expected to take place in Dushanbe. The Azerbaijani President recalled his meetings with the President of Tajikistan, noting that the two Presidents had discussed the level of trade turnover between the two countries and establishment of a long-term economic cooperation. President Ilham Aliyev expressed confidence that the Baku meetings of the Azerbaijan-Tajikistan Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation would serve as an expansion for the economic cooperation.
On 14 Feb, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, received at the Presidential Palace, the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan Bruno Pouezat and his accompanying delegation. Mr. Pouezat said he listened attentively to the President Ilham Aliyev's speech dealing with Azerbaijan's regional development strategy. Noting that the development processes in Azerbaijan are being watched with great interest by the United Nations, he said the main goal of the organization's Baku office is to provide support to them. Mr. Pouezat expressed desire to share his views on the matter with the Azerbaijani leader. President Ilham Aliyev said the international organizations operating in Azerbaijan are familiar with the country's strategy and programs of its further development. On Azerbaijan's economic growth, he stressed that backed by the government, the private sector is playing an important role in this field. The President also announced that Azerbaijan has various new programs for the development.
On 15 Feb, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed a decree on celebration of the 90th anniversary of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
Parliament
The issue of the increase in the number of deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning was raised in the Azerbaijani parliament. "Some 151 people have died as a result of the carbon monoxide poisoning in 2007 and up to February 2008," Gudret Hesenquliyev, the chairman of the Unified Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan said at the Parliament on 12 February. According to Hesenguliyev, more than 400 people were saved. "However no measures are taken to eliminate the problem. The official structures say that there are no poisonous substances in the gas supplied to the people. Then why are people dying of the carbon monoxide?" MP said. He stated that though the law enforcement appealed to the relevant departments, there have not been any results. The State Agency on the Standardization, Metrology and Patent has not taken any measures in this regard at all, he said. Ziyafat Asgarov, the first deputy chairman of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani parliament) said that he had talked to the companies who sell gas to the population and they said that the gas supplied to the people is not poisonous. The problem is attributed to the gas fires, he said.
Complaints by the public regarding municipalities became more frequent in Azerbaijan in 2007. "If some 1,086 complaints were made to the Ministry of Justice about activities of municipalities in 2006, the same figure totaled 1,649 in 2007," Vilayat Zahidov, the Deputy Minister of Justice of Azerbaijan said in Parliament on 12 February while presenting a report of the activities of municipalities of 2007. According to Zahidov, complaints by the public were connected with the violation of property rules and with the fact that people cannot claim land that legally belongs to them. According to the law, the Center for Work with Municipalities of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan exercises control over the activities of municipalities. The report says that a case has been filed against 25 municipalities by the Office of Public Prosecutor in 2007. Courts brought a verdict concerning three of these municipalities investigations are ongoing into the cases of other municipalities. Some 17 criminal cases were filed against the municipalities in 2006. The violations of law occurred in the municipalities of the regions of Absheron, Salyan, Bilasuvar, Sabirabad, Shamakhi, Gobustan and Zagatala of the country. The heads of these municipalities are accused of illegal possession of municipality property, the illegal sale of government property, damages to the state budget, insufficient budget of municipalities and hiding financial documents of the municipalities. Misappropriated funds of AZN116,560 were disclosed as a result of measures taken. The municipalities suffered a loss of AZN253, 639 due to violations of the law. The illegal sale of 301 hectares of land to citizens and the illegal lease of 1,817 hectares of land was revealed during the investigation. Zahidov attributed the violations in the municipalities to violations of the principles of democracy and transparency.
The ruling party of Azerbaijan calls on the political parties to hang campaign posters in places allocated by the administrative body for this purpose during the election campaign. "The party Yeni Azerbaijan will hang posters of its candidate only in places allocated by the administrative body during the presidential election campaign in 2008. We call on the other political parties to follow the same rule as well," Bahar Muradova, a member of the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party and deputy chairman of parliament said in parliament on 12 February. According to the election code of Azerbaijan campaign posters should be handed in at places allocated by the administrative bodies for this purpose during the election campaign. At the same time, the posters can be hung in places not indicated on the lists of the administrative bodies with the agreement of the real estate owners. Historical monuments are not included here. Muradova said that campaign posters are hung everywhere in Azerbaijan during the election campaign. "Sometimes campaign posters are hung on historical monuments. You do not see such cases in other countries of the world," she said. The MP Elmira Akundova said that serious measures must be taken to prevent the hanging of posters in places not indicated by the administrative bodies. She said that it is impossible to clear the walls of the posters in the central parts of the city several months after the elections.
MPs' group of Musavat, which represents opposition in the Parliament, devised a law draft envisaging Azerbaijan's recognizing Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) as a terrorist organization. "The law draft envisages that the persons, who are the member of PKK, finance or propagate them and in general have any relations with them, should be instituted to the responsibility according to the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan," the member of the group, Panah Huseyn reported to Trend on 13 February. Up to, Turkish President Abdullah Gul's visit to Baku, the Parliament of Azerbaijan established a special commission chaired by the Vice Speaker- Ziyafet Askerov to prepare a declaration on Azerbaijan's recognizing PKK as a terrorist organization. However, it was stated earlier that the declaration signed by the Presidents of the two countries, during the Gul's visit, already contains such item. Therefore, the necessity for the commission disappeared and it ceased its activity. Nevertheless, while ratification of the declaration by the Parliament of Azerbaijan, it was made clear that the declaration signed by the Presidents does not contain any item on Azerbaijan's recognizing PKK as a terrorist organization. According to Huseynov, the new law draft envisages that annually the law-enforcement bodies will determine the list of the terrorist organizations and spread it in the society. " Azerbaijan has joined all conventions in order to fight against the international terrorism. However, in order to associate with all such organizations, it is necessary that the Azerbaijan must recognize these organizations, including PKK," the MP said. By the next week, the law draft will be submitted to the Parliament.
Azerbaijan gets prepared to join additional protocol of the European Convention on Prevention of Terrorism. The bill on the Approval of the Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Prevention of Terrorism was discussed in the meeting of the permanent commission of Azerbaijani parliament on security and defense issues on 15 February. According to the document, the crimes of terrorism are committed because of political reasons. Those engaged in terrorism can be extradited on the condition that they will be convicted in their country and the Council of Europe will be informed about what will happen later. Ziyafet Asgarov, the first vice speaker of Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani Parliament) and the chairman of the commission on security and defense of the parliament said that Azerbaijan has joined the Convention on Prevention of Terrorism passed on 27 January in 1997 and the demands proceeding from the document are being implemented. A number of documents took effect after the adoption of the Convention which necessitated the additional protocol, Asgarov said. " Azerbaijan will join the document on a condition that the country will not guarantee the implementation of the clauses of the addition protocol in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan until they are liberated, Asgarov said. The protocol was ratified by 27 member states of the Council of Europe. The MPs decided to revise the document in the plenary meeting of the parliament.
The flags of foreign countries, hung on the buildings of different organizations, companies, shops and restaurants, in Azerbaijan must be taken out. "Some organizations in order to demonstrate that they work with the foreigners, hang the flags of different countries in their respective offices. "The people hang the Azerbaijani flags badly, or rather does not hang it at all," MP Samad Seidov stated during the meeting of the permanent Parliamentary Commission on International Relations and Inter-parliamentary Ties. Under the state legislation, the draft law was submitted to the Parliament by President Ilham Aliyev. The draft law stated that the flags of foreign countries might be hung only in the embassies, consuls and diplomatic buildings of the respective countries functioning in Azerbaijan, as well as in the offices of diplomatic representatives and on the vehicles of Heads of the foreign countries. The draft law stipulates respect to the foreign countries and international organization flags, by the Azerbaijani citizens as well as the foreigners. "The acceptance of this draft law is relevant and quite necessary. The number of foreign organizations in Azerbaijan has been increasing daily. Therefore, the issue concerning flags should be settled by the state legislation," Seidov added. After the passing of the draft law, Azerbaijani citizens will be prohibited to hang the flags of foreign countries even in their own balconies. The Commission took a decision to give the draft law to the Parliament for consideration.
Foreign policy
The United States of America is ready to provide every support to Azerbaijan. Franc Urbanchik, the deputy assistant to the US Secretary of State on terrorism said to journalists in Baku on 14 February. "We are grateful to Azerbaijan for the cooperation with the US in its fight against terrorism after the September 11th attacks," Urbanchik said. He met with Araz Azimov, the deputy foreign minister of Azerbaijan. A number of issues were discussed between the parties including bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
Azerbaijan who has been faced with the occupation of its territories should attempt to hold an international campaign regarding the destruction of its cultural heritage, Nicolas Johns, the well-known British journalist said. "The destruction of cultural and historical heritage of any country is undoubtedly an international and military crime. Azerbaijan is right in raising the topic on an international level," Johns said to Trend. As a result of the Armenian military aggression, 20% of Azerbaijani land, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region, has been under the Armenian occupation since the early 90s. Azerbaijan has repeatedly appealed to international organizations that Armenia pursued the policy of genocide and deportation towards Azerbaijanis during the whole of 20th century. The Azerbaijani geographical names were changed, Azerbaijani cemeteries destroyed including its historical and cultural values. The archeological excavations in the occupied Azerbaijani Shusha region are a gross violation of the international law, Rafael Huseynov, the Azerbaijani MP who raised the issue before the Council of Europe (CE) stated to Trend in early 2005. According to Huseynov, he appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers of CE to take serious measures to put an end to the archeological excavations in Shusha and the destruction by the Armenian authorities of the cultural values and gene pool of Azerbaijani people. Azerbaijan has every right to put special emphasis on the problem of its cultural heritage, said Johns who has been the political correspondent of BBC and is well aware of the history of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "I understand what the Azerbaijanis feel as many countries in Europe and America overlook this issue or do not pay enough attention to the damage made to the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan," he said. "The destruction of mosques and old Christian monuments, the contamination of religious places of interest is a very serious problem which should be raised both in and outside Europe so that Azerbaijan can obtain the relevant attention of the world community," the journalist said.
Azerbaijan has demanded a discussion on the report on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict developed by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. "Within the winter session of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, we will meet with Goran Lenmark, chairman. We will discuss submitting the report on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict developed by Lenmark, for discussion, Eldar Ibrahimov, the deputy chairman of Azerbaijani delegation to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, stated. Before the election of Lenmark OSCE PA had a special co-rapporteur on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Lenmark developed the report on Nagorno-Karabakh. However, the document has not been discussed so far. Ibrahimov said that the Azerbaijani delegation to OSCE PA would include the issue of the agenda on Nagorno-Karabakh for discussion. "Under OSCE PA rules, the report must be submitted for discussion during the meeting of the organization. However, despite of our demands OSCE PA has rejected to submit the report for discussion. The main reason for this is that the OSCE Minsk Group is engaged in the settlement of the conflict," MP added. The winter session of OSCE PA will be held in Vienna on 21 and 22 February. The key issues for discussion include the further status of Kosovo and agreement on the usual armament forces in Europe. The delegation headed by Bahar Muradova, the deputy chairman of Azerbaijani parliament, will represent Azerbaijan in the session. The Azerbaijani delegation includes MPs Eldar Ibrahimov, Fatah Heydarov, Rabiyat Aslanova, Azay Guliyev and Ilgar Farzaliyev, deputy head of International Relations Department of Parliament.
The Initiative Group of South Caucasus Parliament will continue its activities. " Armenia has given its initial consent and therefore, the Group will continue its activity," the Head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Group, Deputy Executive Secretary of ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), Siyavush Novruzov, reported to Trend. After 12 May 2007 the parliamentary elections were held in Armenia, since then the Country had not formed its delegation in Initiative Group of South Caucasus Parliament. LINKS organization and the European Union made several appeals to Armenia to form its delegation, but the country did not give a positive response. Initiative Group of South Caucasus Parliament was established by the initiative of British NGO LINKS. Its goal is to expand the relations between the three South Caucasus Countries and is supported by the Council of Europe and European Union. The Group brings together ten MPs from each South Caucasus Countries - Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. Novruzov said that the Head of LINKS, Denis Sammut, was on visit to Armenia this week and held the discussions to continue the activities of Initiative Group of South Caucasus Parliament. "Sammut held discussions with the Head of the Parliament and senior officials of Armenia. As a result, an agreement was reached that after the presidential elections in Armenia, the country will form a delegation to the Group," the MP said. Novruzov said that Azerbaijan is interested in continuing the activity of the Group. "The issues that we will present for the discussions in the group, will be supported by Georgia. Armenia remains alone there and that is why, does not want to attend its meetings," he said. According to him, after the presidential elections in Armenia, the next meeting of the Group will be held. The place, date and agenda of the meeting will be confirmed in the near future.
Political movements
Etibar Mammadov, the leader of Azerbaijani National Independent Party (ANIP), positively accepted a proposal concerning the nomination of his candidature to the presidential post by party activists. "I am very glad that party activists think in such way," Mammadov said to Trend. The next presidential elections in Azerbaijan are scheduled for 15 October 2008. A decision concerning his participation in the upcoming presidential elections will be made during a meeting scheduled for April. Ali Orujev, ANIP press-secretary, said that most party activists want Mammadov to be nominated for the post. However, Mammadov reveal his decision. "Let the party make its decision concerning my participation in the approaching elections, and then I will express by opinion," Mammadov stated. The ANIP leader nominated his candidature in the 2003 presidential elections.
The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) is against the meeting in connection with the anniversary of the Khojali tragedy. "Whom do we wish to inform about the tragedy by staging the meeting within the country? As for the world information, we have implemented a range of meetings at a high level, MP Mubariz Gurbanli, deputy executive secretary of the party stated to Trend. The meeting of the Musavat party held on 11 February was dedicated to the Khojali tragedy. The meeting participants came to the conclusion to submit proposals to all political parties including NAP to stage a rally on the Azadlig Square on 26 February. On the night of 25 to 26 February 1992, with the assistance of the Russian 366th regiment, Armenian armed forces committed genocide in Khojali. Hundreds of the Azerbaijani civilians lost their live in the genocide. In addition, thousands of people were injured and many are still missing. Gurbanli considers that such rallies should be staged in front of the US Senate, the Russian Parliament, the French Senate and similar departments in order to inform the world about the truth of the Khojali tragedy. "Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Azerbaijani Reside Abroad is engaged in joint work with our citizens in this direction. In Azerbaijan, we all know that the Khojali tragedy is a genocide committed by Armenians. Some people want to receive dividends from this tragedy," Gurbanli stated. According to Gurbanlli, we need to hold round tables and accept joint statements. NAP will implement discussions on the Khojali tragedy and will take definite measures, Gurbanli stated.
Armenians who received Azerbaijani passports in Georgia, came to Azerbaijan to live and work in the country, Sabir Mehtiyev, the head of Georgia is my Motherland organization in the village of Sadakhli of the Marneul region, stated. According to Mehtiyev, about 1mln Azerbaijanis lived in Georgia till 1990, but the number made up 702,000 after the election of Michael Saakashvili as the President. At present, the number totals 200,000 to 250,000. "No Azerbaijanis will remain in Georgia if no changes take place in the country during the next four to five months," Mehtiyev stated. "The market in the Marneul region of Georgia, where Azerbaijanis worked, was closed and replaced in a village in Armenia as a result of measures taken by Armenians. However, 700 to 800 Azerbaijanis still work in the market, crossing the border daily," Mehtiyev said. Mehtiyev stated that Armenians living in Marneul purchase Azerbaijani passports and come to Azerbaijan and other countries as well. According to the information, about 400 Armenians by origin live and work in the country. However, according to Armenians living in Georgia, there are 250,000 Armenians living in the territory of Azerbaijan. There are intelligence officers among Armenians sent by Dashnaks to Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani National Security Ministry informed Trend that the Ministry takes measures directed against national and state interests of the country. Arif Babayev, the head of the Centre on Public Relations at the Ministry, said that the people who stated that there is intelligence officers among Armenians living in Azerbaijan can submit their facts to the Ministry.
Sardar Jalaloglu, the chairman of Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA), considers that political parties who boycott the upcoming presidential elections should not blame people who take part in the elections. "We do not hinder people who want to boycott the elections," Jalaloglu stated to trend. The presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan on 15 October 2008. The opposition parties Musavat, DPA, Umid and Great Establishment stated their participation in the approaching presidential elections with their candidates. The Azadlig bloc, which unites three opposition parties Popular Front, Liberal and Citizen and Development, stated that it would boycott the presidential elections. Ali Aliyev, the Azadlig co-chairman, stated to Trend that if the bloc did not participate in the elections he would call on the public to boycott them. The DPA chairman considers that the party who boycotts the elections should have no influence on the community. According to Aliyev, the calls by Azadlig to boycott the upcoming presidential elections will not give positive results. "Their supporters will not participate in the elections. The public is not ready to boycott the elections," DPA chairman stated.
The number of those striving to become presidential candidates increased in the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP), the chair of the ADP Sardar Jalaloglu said to Trend on 12 February. The name of the presidential candidate from ADP will be divulged at the party's administration meeting on 16 February. The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will take place in October. "Gurban Mammadov, an ADP member, intends to nominate himself for the presidential candidate position. Moreover, there are members willing to nominate the chair of the ADP administration Vagif Shirinov," Jalaloglu said. At the beginning of 2007, the ADP ceased its radical political course.
The Ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) protected Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's new co-rapporteur for Azerbaijan Yevgeni Jivkova. "We consider that the oppositionists and several law observers have held 'dirty' campaign against Jivkova' opinion," the NAP Executive Secretary, MP Mubariz Gurbanli, reported to Trend on 13 February. The Institute for Freedom and Security of Reporters, law-observers Leyla Yunus and Arzu Abdullayeva protested against Jivkova' opinion on closeness of the jailed journalists with the political forces. Musavat Party stated that Jivkova is a co-rapporteur closer to the Government. According to Gurbanli, the co-rapporteur highlighted full politicization of the press in Azerbaijan. "With regards to Jivkova, she is not new and meets the European standards. The opposition's attack to her is the sample of intolerance and extravagancy of this camp against the foreign representatives, objectively approaching this issue. The opposition representatives, who speak of freedom of media, have now protested against Jivkova. Even they want her dismissal," Gurbanli said. According to him, such attitude of the opposition towards the representatives of the international organizations and foreign countries- who objectively assess the situation, loves Azerbaijan and mention country's development, is quite wrong. "As soon as somebody expresses positive opinion about Azerbaijan, they attack him/her," he said. In addition, Gurbanli abandoned the opinion on new co-rapporteur's closeness to Azerbaijani Government. "It is not first time that such opinion has been made. Even, they make such assessment to Azerbaijan President's positive opinion about the country. They connect any positive opinion of the US officials with the oil factor. Why don't they speak about existence of any factors, when the government is criticized? It is wrong to relate Jivkova with Azerbaijan Government and criticize her," Gurbanli said.
Aydin Guliyev, the chief editor of Baku khabar newspaper, will establish a new political organization in the near future. "It will be a political party or NGO," Guliyev stated to trend. According to him, the new organization would be independent and would not back Rasul Guliyev- the leader of the party in which Guliyev was also one of the members. Guliyev's supporters backed him. "They are independent people in the public," he noted. The organization will be founded before the upcoming presidential elections, scheduled in October 2008.
The ruling New Azerbaijan Party of Azerbaijan (NAP) announced that the presidential elections in the country will be held in line with the European standards and principles. "The government is interested in holding the elections as per the European standards and principles," Ali Ahmadov, the deputy chairman and the executive secretary of YAP said during his meeting with Alaina Guidetti, the ambassador of Switzerland Confederation to Azerbaijan, on 14 February. In October 2008, the regular presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan. The ruling New Azerbaijan Party will support Ilham Aliyev- the chairman of the party and current President. On his part, the ambassador said that the ruling party will achieve its goals in the presidential elections in Azerbaijan. According to diplomat, there is a normal election atmosphere in Azerbaijan.
Isa Gambar, the head of the Azerbaijani opposition party Musavat believes that one day or another the authorities will agree to change the composition of the election committees, Gambar said to journalists on 15 February. The Central Election Committee of Azerbaijan includes 18 members - 6 are the representatives of the party which has the majority at the Parliament, 6 are the representatives of the party which has the minority, and 6 are the representatives of neutral parties. The Azerbaijani opposition parties say that the commissions with such composition are controlled by the authorities and urge to change the composition. According to the governing New Azerbaijan Party, there is no necessity in changing the present composition of the election committees, as it is the best variant. According to Gambar, the authorities are delaying the issue on changing the composition of the committees. The opposition will still insist on its position. "Initially, the authorities ruled out many issues, but later it accepted them. Therefore, the discussions over the Election Code will be continued," Gambar said. As four parties - the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, the Azerbaijan Liberal Party, and the Musavat - did not participate in meetings discussing the Election Code which took place in Baku on 7-9 November, the authorities are unaware of their suggestions, which remained unveiled, Safa Mirzayev, the head of the Azerbaijani Parliamentary Administration, said to journalists. "The discussions of the Election Code have been completed and they will be submitted to the Parliament for consideration in March. Isa Gambar said that Musavat's suggestions had been submitted to the Parliament and Mirzayev is aware of that. "We boycotted the meeting which took place on 7-9 November and was organized by the international organizations, because over 20 (large and small) parties were invited to the meeting. "There was no necessity to involve the parties which do not form the election committees and do not even claim. Only leading opposition parties should have been involved," Gambar said. The opposition Musavat party was founded in 1992. The head of the party, Isa Gambar, was Azerbaijani Parliament's Speaker in 1992-93 and run for presidency in 2003. The party is represented by an MP group in the Parliament.
The meeting of the Supreme Assembly of Azerbaijan Democratic Party on 16 February put forward unanimous candidature of Sardar Jalaloglu for the coming presidential elections in Azerbaijan. The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will take place in October. The member of the party, Gurban Mammadov, refused its candidature in favor of Jalaloglu. Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, Azerbaijan Liberal Party and Citizen and Development Party which represent Azadlyg political bloc stated that they boycott the elections unless the election commissions will be formed on a parity base. The ruling New Azerbaijan Party officially put forward the candidature of the party's Chairman, current President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Jalaloglu said at the meeting that the policy of Azerbaijan Democratic Party to establish a dialogue with the government is now supported by other opposition parties. According to him, the opposition camp condemned and blamed the new political way which was chosen by the party a year ago, but now other parties also understand that it needs to avoid political hypocrisy. Gurban Mammadov said in his speech that if falsifications come into existence during the election campaign, the party will boycott elections.
The leader of opposition Azerbaijan National Independence Party (ANIP) considers that all claimers for the post of chairman are worthy candidates. "I consider that the activists of the party take right political steps and all candidates are worthy politicians. Each of them is capable to govern the party," the ANIP Leader, Etibar Mammadov, said. The chairmen of ANIP Goranboy department Fagan Maherremov and Narimanov department Aladdin Askerov put forward their candidatures for the chairmanship. The former ANIP chairman Ayaz Rustamov refused to hold his position due to his health at the end of the last year. In January he reported to Trend that the reason of his resignation is the differences in the party. The meeting of ANIP Political Council at the end of January recognized Rustamov's resignation. The meeting of the Central Council on 17 February will determine the date of congress to elect the new chairman. Mammadov considers that after electing the new chairman, party's political activity will grow.
Nagorno-Karabakh
Azerbaijan has agreed to hold a conference on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the participation of the Armenian MPs. "Azerbaijan highlighted its principal consent to attend the conference organized through the mediation of the international organization for the Azerbaijani and Armenian MPs," the First Deputy Chairman of Azerbaijan Parliament, Chairman of Azerbaijan Parliament's Permanent Commission for Security and Defence, Ziyafet Askerov, briefed the media on 11 February. Lord Russell Johnston, the Head of the Sub-committee on the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), visited Azerbaijan and Armenia. He discussed the possibility of holding a conference in April 2008 in Strasburg with the participation of the Azerbaijani and Armenian MPs. "However, we oppose bilateral co-operation with Armenia until the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Askerov added. According to the First Deputy Chairman, the Azerbaijani side hopes that the events being held through mediation of the international organizations will bring positive results. "We have attended many such events, but always they have not had any results. In addition, we want the international organizations to approach the implementation of the PACE Resolution 1416 on Nagorno-Karabakh seriously and put pressure on Armenia in this regard," Askerov said.
Azerbaijan is expected to hold anti-terror operations in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is currently under Armenia's occupation, Nizami Bahmanov, the head of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh, said in talks with journalists on 11 February. Azerbaijani officials have stated on numerous occasions that the occupied territory of Azerbaijan is out of control and these areas are used in drug transiting. At the same time, data confirms the existence of foreign terror organizations in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. According to Bahmanov, information regarding terror attacks committed in other countries are being planned in the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh, is being clarified. Furthermore, the placement of Kurdish separatists in these areas is also being checked upon. If any testimonies are found to be true, Azerbaijan will carry out anti-terror operations in Nagorno-Karabakh, Bahmanov said. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry did not make any comments in this respect.
Azerbaijan agreed to hold a conference on the Nagorno-Karabakh with the participation of Armenian MPs under certain conditions. "We do not oppose the holding of the conference with the participation of Azerbaijani and Armenian MPs. However we will make some conditions. Only the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the destiny of Nagorno-Karabakh which is the indivisible part of Azerbaijan can be discussed at the planned conference," Samad Seyidov, the head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the vice-president of the organization said to Trend on 11 February. Lord Russell Johnston, the chairman of the PACE Subcommittee on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and British MP, paid a visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia last week. He discussed the conference with the participation of MPs from both sides to be held in April in Strasbourg. "We do not oppose the meetings between Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations, or between the MPs according to the proposal of Lord Russell Johnston, the chairman of the PACE Subcommittee on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and British MP. On the contrary, we are ready to take part in the organization of the conference. However, the establishment of relations between the Armenian and Azerbaijani parliaments and the improvement of relations between the two countries should not be discussed at the conference," Sayidov added. Sayidov said that the possible meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenia MPs to discuss ways of settlement of the conflict is a normal thing. "We are part of international relations. Azerbaijani MPs represented in the parliamentary assemblies of OSCE, NATO, in the European Parliament and in the other organizations meet with Armenian MPs. We do not hold discussions with Armenian MPs on economic relations. We discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Therefore there is nothing extraordinary and to blame in our meeting with Armenian MPs," Sayidov said. According to Sayidov, some people oppose meeting with Armenia MPs. They cannot appreciate the situation in a realistic way, he said.
On 13 February nearly 300 NGOs and municipalities of Turkish regions of Kars, Igdir and Erdogan made an appeal to the Parliament of Turkey for recognizing Khojali Tragedy as genocide, the Consul General of Azerbaijan in Kars, Hasan Zeynalov, reported to Trend by telephone on 13 February. In night from 25 to 26 February the Armed Forces of Armenia committed genocide in Azerbaijan's district of Khojali. As a result, 613 peaceful people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people. Zeynalov added that supported by Heydar Aliyev Foundation and organized by Consulate and Igdir Municipality, an international conference dedicated to Khojali tragedy will take place in Berlin on 23-26 February. The conference will bring together nearly 50 diplomats, scientists, historians, military specialists, as well as representatives of Azerbaijan Parliament.
No incidents were reported during the monitoring held on 14 February at the contact line of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops near the Tapgaragoyunlu village in the Azerbaijani Goranboy region, in compliance with the mandate of the OSCE Chair's Personal Representative. The monitoring took about an hour. On the Azerbaijan side the monitoring was held by the OSCE Chairman-in-office's personal representative Andrzej Kasprzyk and his assistants Imre Palatinus and Jaslan Nurtazin. On the Armenian side the monitoring was held by personal representative assistants in Armenia, Antal Herdich and Miroslav Vimetal.
Andrzej Kasprzyk, the OSCE Chairman-in-office's personal representative, said that in the recent months, the ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia has been more frequently broken. "Due to the permanent violation of ceasefire at the contact line of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, both the sides have been warned," he said to journalists on 14 February after the monitoring held at the troop contact line nearby the Tapgaragoyunlu village in the Goranboy region of Azerbaijan. The OSCE will increase the number of the monitoring exercises in order to prevent the intensive violation of the ceasefire. The violation of the ceasefire negatively affects the day-to-day life of the nearby villages' residents and impedes their agricultural activities, Kasprzyk said. Azerbaijan has been always maintaining the ceasefire, the Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry Eldar Sabiroglu said to Trend on 14 February. " Azerbaijan has been urging OSCE to take necessary measures against Armenia, which has been intensively violating the ceasefire," he said.
The cooperation between EU and Black Sea region's countries may promote the settling of frozen conflicts in the region, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, said at the Foreign Ministers' meeting of EU and Black Sea countries in Kiev, on 14 February. "This meeting is a good opportunity to create a favourable environment for the Black Sea region's countries with frozen conflicts and pave way for solving these," she said. Ferrero-Waldner said she is ready to cooperate with the Black Sea countries in regional projects, particularly in the issues on the collective security in the region, water resources, as well as fighting against the international terrorism.
The Armenian Armed Forces have violated the ceasefire agreement by firing at the Azerbaijani National Army from their positions located in Azerbaijan's district of Fizuli and near Azerbaijan's village of Ashagi Abdurahmanli from 20:30pm to 20:40pm and from 23:20pm to 00:10pm on 15 February, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported. The National Army of Azerbaijan retaliated and no casualties were reported.