Official Chronicle
On 19 May the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, sent a letter of felicitation to the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, on the Country's Public holiday, National Day. "I hope that development of Azerbaijan-Cameroon relations will be fruitful for our peoples," said the President in his letter. President Aliyev wished his Cameroonian counterpart good health and success in his further activities and the people of Korea peace and prosperity.
On May 19, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, received visiting Prime Minister of South Korea Han Seung-soo and accompanying delegation. During the talks the President described Azerbaijan-South Korea relations as very successful and rapidly developing. He said the two countries have reached good level of cooperation in all areas. President Aliyev expressed hope this visit by the Korean Premier as well as the important documents signed in its course would help the bilateral relations expand further.
On 19 May, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Monitoring Committee Co-Rapporteurs on Azerbaijan Andres Herkel and Evguenia Jivkova. The meeting focused on Azerbaijan-PACE cooperation, as well as various issues regarding the co-rapporteurs' current visit.
On 19 May, seven bilateral documents were signed in Baku within the framework of Turkmen President Gurbangulu Berdimuhamedov's visit to Azerbaijan.
These are agreements on cooperation between chambers of commerce and industry, and between the Finance Ministries, as well as a protocol on cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries. The countries also signed intergovernmental agreements on international combined cargo deliveries; on cooperation in the sphere of standardization, metrology and accrediting; on cooperation in the sphere of youth and sports.
The documents were signed as a result of one-to-one meeting and talks in large between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, Ilham Aliyev and Berdimuhamedov.
On 20 May, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan received the Chief of Turkish Gendarmerie Staff, General-Colonel Ibrahim Achigmeshe.
In meeting, emphasized was successful development of the fraternal and friendly relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan in all fields, and expressed confidence for further strengthening of cooperation between the relevant structures of Azerbaijan and the Turkish Gendarmerie Forces.
On 20 May, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev decreed on appointing Shikhammad Aslanov the chairman of the Azerenerjitikintigurashdirma LLC.
On 21 May, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has decreed on approval of Azerbaijani staff for the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Trade and Technical Cooperation between the Governments of Azerbaijan and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Commission was established in accordance with the Agreement on Economic, Trade and Technical Cooperation between the Government of Azerbaijan and the Government of UAE, signed in Abu Dhabi on 20 November 2006.
The Azerbaijani Economic Development Minister Heydar Babayev was appointed as the co-chairman of the Commission from Azerbaijan.
On 21 May the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed an order allocating AZN 1mln from the Reserve Fund of President for improvement of activity of Geology Museum of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
The official ceremonial meeting of the Presidents of Ukraine and Azerbaijan, Victor Yushchenko and Ilham Aliyev, was held in Kiev. The Ukrainian leader met his counterpart at the square in front of the Presidents Secretariat, the Ukrainian President's Press Service informed Trend on 22 May.
After the performance of anthems of the two countries by military orchestra, the presidents passed the guard of honor. The ceremony ended with mutual introduction of official delegations of Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
Afterwards, the two presidents had one-to-one at the Gorodetsk House. It will be followed by the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani talks in large under the chairmanship of Yushchenko and Aliyev. As a result of talks, it is planned to sign the bilateral documents. The heads of state will ink Declaration on Friendship and strategic partnership between Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
After the signing ceremony, the presidents will make a statement for press and will answer the journalists' questions.
The Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko thanked the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for allocation of an area in Baku for the construction of Ukrainian Embassy. Yushchenko made this statement at the joint press conference with Ilham Aliyev on 22 May after the bilateral negotiations.
The Ukrainian President noted importance of relations development in the cultural field of the two countries. According to him, in the near future, monument dedicated to Taras Shevchenko will be erected in Baku.
The President of Ukraine, Victor Yushenka, awarded President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Order of Prince Yaroslav Mudry of 1st Class, the Press Service of Ukrainian President said.
According to the order, the award was provided due to personal contribution of Ilham Aliyev in strengthening Ukrainian-Azerbaijani relations.
Ilham Aliyev awarded Victor Yushenka the Order Heydar Aliyev for his services in developing relations of friendship and co-operation between Azerbaijani and Ukrainian peoples.
The ceremony of exchanging orders took place within Azerbaijan President's official visit to Ukraine.
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed an order conferring Taraggi Medal ('Progress') upon a group of employees of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources for their environmental protection services.
On 22 May, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed an order confirming Azerbaijani side of the Azerbaijani-Kyrgyzstan Inter-Governmental Commission for Economic and Humanitarian Co-operation.
Vice Prime Minister, Yagub Eyyubov, was appointed Co-chairman of the Commission.
On 24 May President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received US Congressmen Adam Schiff, Scwarts Allyson and Wayne Gilchrest.
The Head of State said the current visit of the US Congressmen to Baku is an opportunity for them to familiarize themselves with the rapid development process in Azerbaijan. The Congressmen expressed satisfaction with the visit and meeting with Azerbaijan's President. According to them, their current trip to Baku aims at familiarizing themselves with the processes ongoing in Azerbaijan and the region wholly.
Elections
The Head of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan believes that not everybody has moral right to participate in the presidential elections in Azerbnaijan.
"The persons who cannot collect 45,000 signatures out of 5mln electorates in Azerbaijan, cannot participate for presidential post," Mazahir Panakhov, CEC Head, stated in Baku on 20 may.
The presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan on 15 October 2008.
Under the Election Code of Azerbaijan, the person who wants to pass registration in CEC as a candidate for the presidential post must collect the signatures of about 45,000 people.
Under the new amendments into the Election Code of Azerbaijan, the candidates who cannot collect enough votes must deposit AZN 300,000 and the project will be considered by the Parliament on 30 may.
Experts consider that if the Parliament will pass the decision on increase of the deposit sum for candidates, then the Azerbaijani opposition camp will not be able to participate in the upcoming presidential elections.
It was a big failure as the names of Azerbaijani citizens, Armenians by nationality, were not included in the voters list. "Unfortunately the international organizations could not make an effective contribution to get the names of Azerbaijani citizens, Armenian by nationality, included in the list of voters," the Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Mazahir Panahov, briefed the media on 20 May.
Some 125 district election commissions have devised and submitted the list of voters to the Commission. The CEC will complete and confirm the voters at the end of May.
The number of citizens having voting right exceeds 4.6mln in Azerbaijan. More than 4,000 voters of Khankendi district election commission No 122 were added in the list of voters. The citizens of occupied Azerbaijan lands, including Nagorno-Karabakh, will not be able to realize their voting rights.
According to Panahov, no results were obtained from numerous appeals to the international organizations to assist in adding Azerbaijani citizens, Armenian by nationality, in the list of voters.
The Presidential elections in Azerbaijan will take place on 15 October.
"The upcoming presidential elections will show the level of democracy in Azerbaijan," Dennis Sammut, head of the South Caucasus parliamentary initiative of the British LINKS NGO, said in Baku on 23 May.
"We are sure that Azerbaijan will fulfil its obligation to hold democratic elections and we do not have right to doubt about that," Sammut said at the conference 'Azerbaijan 2008: Way to Modernization' organized by the Strategic Research Centre attached to the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration.
LINKS was established in 1997 and now works in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Northern Cyprus, Turkey and Ukraine. LINKS projects are financed by the UK Government, Foreign Ministries of Switzerland and Ireland, Governments of Sweden and Netherlands and partially by European Commission.
LINKS South Caucasus parliamentary initiative was established on the basis of the MOU signed by the Parliaments of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia in 2003 for dialogue and viewpoint exchange.
Parliament
The Azerbaijani parliamentary Commission on Social Policy has approved the joining of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe's program intended to cut the number of police personnel in football matches. "In Azerbaijan about 5,000 or 6,0000 of police personnel are deployed at the football match to provide the security. The Council of Europe considers that this high number of police just irritates the attendances in stadiums and lead to negative results. Therefore, the number of police in stadiums should be decreased as soon as possible," MP Eyvaz Gurbanov, representative from Azerbaijan in the Sport Games Committee of Council of Europe, stated.
The meeting focused on discussions of Azerbaijan joining the Council of Europe Convention related to the sports.
"The Council of Europe considers that the citizens themselves must provide security in stadiums during the games," Gurbanov said.
Gurbanov said the document will come into force after its ratification by Council of Europe member-countries.
Sixteen countries Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, San-Marino, Slovenia, Macedonia and Britain have already joined the convention.
Commission has approved the document and recommended to submit it to the Parliament for consideration.
Foreign policy
The 85th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev was marked in the Senate in France by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Paris. Tarik Aliyev, Azerbaijani Ambassador in France, informed about the irreplaceable role of Azerbaijani national leader in establishment of the Azerbaijani State since he began taking part in the state affairs in 1969. Being a high ranking official in the former SSSR and working in Moscow since1980s, Aliyev did a lot for his country and nation.
Heydar Aliyev played a significant role in early 1990s, when the Republic became a sovereign state. The current authority of the country in the world political arena is a product of Aliyev's far-seeing and wise policy. The largest energy projects, implemented in Azerbaijan, are Heydar Aliyev's fruit to his country, the Ambassador stated.
"Heydar Aliyev was a real patriot. Aliyev saved Azerbaijan from the social-economic danger and selflessly tackled the problems," Katrin Procatsia, Head of the France-Caucasus Friendship Group of the French Senate, stated. Procatsia called Heydar Aliyev as a state activist who restored peace in the region, expanded and strengthened international relations of Azerbaijan.
Jean-Louis Dupont, Chairman of the France-Azerbaijan Friendship Society at the French National Assembly, stated that Heydar Aliyev paid his first abroad visit to France. Dupont spoke about Heydar Aliyev's role in expansion and strengthening of the relations between the two countries.
Said Ismayilov, Head of the House of Azerbaijan in France, Jean Perren, former French Ambassador in Azerbaijan, and others spoke about Heydar Aliyev.
The closing decision on the political prisoners will be made in June, the PACE co-rapporteur, Andreas Herkel, said to a press-conference at the Council of Europe's office in Baku on 19 May.
Commenting on his meeting with the President of Azerbaijan, Herkel said that after the recent situation with elections in Armenia, the trust in the Council of Europe decreased in Azerbaijan. In addition, replying to a question on political prisoners, Herkel answered that a meeting will take place on political prisoners in the last week of June. On Friday of the same week, a decision will be made on this issue.
"The pre-election situation should be trailed by release of three jailed journalists and political prisoners as well as improvement of situation with freedom of assembly," Herkel said.
/On 20 May, over 20 Goodwill Ambassadors of UNESCO - outstanding figures defending the UNESCO ideals, assembled in Paris to discuss the ways for assistance to spread the universal schooling.
The report on implementation of the Planning and Analyzing Process program by Azerbaijan was discussed in Brussels.
According to the Azerbaijani permanent representation in NATO, the Brussels meeting held in the '26+ 1' format at the NATO Committee considered the reforms carried out by Azerbaijan in the military and defence field, military construction, as well as Azerbaijan's contributions to international security.
Bulgaria is prepared to assist Azerbaijan in integration into European structures, said the Chairman of Bulgarian Parliament, Georgy Pirinski, during his meeting with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Oktay Asadov, in Sofia on 20 May.
According to Pirinski, Bulgaria has rich experience of co-operation with the European structures and the Country is prepared to share them with Azerbaijan, a source at the Bulgarian Parliament reported to Trend .
The Head of the Bulgarian Parliament highlighted the importance of co-operation of the two countries within Black Sea Economic Co-operation and mentioned the role of the legislative bodies in developing relations between Black Sea region and Southeastern Europe.
The Heads of the Parliaments of the two countries discussed co-operation within 'Organization for Democracy and Economic co-operation'. Asadov drew attention to establishment of a working group within GUAM, the same source stated.
The governmental delegation of Azerbaijan headed by the Premier Artur Rasizade arrived in Ankara on 21 May.
The visit agenda includes putting flowers at Ataturk's mausoleum and monument of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, meetings with the Turkish Premier Rajab Tayyip Erdogan, the chairman of the parliament Koksal Toptana and President Abdulla Gul.
The prospects of the Azerbaijani-Turkish economic cooperation will be discussed during the meetings, Zakir Hashimov, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Turkey said to Trend earlier. "A set of issues on bilateral trade and economic cooperation is expected to be of focus of discussions," he stated. The parties will consider the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline project and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project and the possibilities of increasing the volume of the trade turnover between the two countries.
The delegation includes the Vice Premier Abid Sharifov, the President of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Rovnag Abdullayev and Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov.
On 22-23 May, the regular conference of the chairmen of parliaments of the Council of Europe member states was held in Strasburg. The speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, who will take part in the conference, will meet with the PACE chairman and new chairman of the Ago Monitoring Group. The relations between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe, as well as the current cooperation between the official Baku and CE bodies will be discussed during the meetings.
The chairman of Milli Majlis (the Azerbaijani parliament) Ogtay Asadov, the chairman of PACE (Parliament Assembly of the Council of Europe) Luis Maria de Puig and Stelian Stoian-the new chairman of the Ago Group and the permanent representative of Romania at the Council of Europe, discussed cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe (CE).
Prague will host political consultations between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic. The consultations were take place on 23-24 May during the visit of Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov to Czechia.
Azimov is expected to meet with the Czech First Deputy Foreign Minister Tomas Pojar, Czechia's National Coordinator in the Visegradska Group Irzhi Chisitski and the Chairman of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Jan Khomachek.
The main attention will be paid to development of political cooperation between the two countries.
Rovshan Mustafayev, the Azerbaijani scientist and Director of the Institute for human rights at the National Academy of Science of Azerbaijan (NASA), was awarded the diploma in the residence of the Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia, Father Alia, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia reported.
Patriarch presented the diploma to the Azerbaijani scientist and stated about the valuable investments that Mustafayev has invested to develop and strengthen science and friendship between the countries.
Namig Aliyev, Azerbaijani Ambassador in Georgia, stated about the achievements that the Institute has achieved under the chairmanship of Mustafayev.
Mikhail Kurdiani, Rector of the Gelat Academy, acquainted the guests with the activities of the Academy.
Rovshan Mustafayev became the first foreigner who was accepted to membership of the Gelat Academy.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met Saturday with U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff to discuss Azerbaijan-US cooperation, and regional and international issues.
Schiff, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California`s 29th district, praised Azerbaijan`s contribution to diversification of energy sources.
He also highly appreciated the country`s involvement in peacekeeping operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Azerbaijani Minister told of rapid development and stability reigning in his country, On Azerbaijan`s conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh, Mammadyarov said resolution of the dispute is in the interests of Armenia itself, as it will help develop situation in the whole South Caucasian region.
Political movements
The Opposition of Azerbaijan believes that there has not been a progress from the democratic viewpoint in Azerbaijan since it was admitted into the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe and OSCE are playing political games," this statement was made in the round table organized by the support of Eldar Namazov, the President of the For Azerbaijan public forum.
Talat Aliyev, the deputy chairman of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan said that the number of imprisoned journalists has increased and freedom of assembly has been restricted more after Azerbaijan was admitted to the Council of Europe. In a word, Azerbaijan has been left behind from democratic point of view. He added that these organizations are working on the principle of 'one step forward and two steps backward'. According to Aliyev, although the additions and changes to the Election Code are undemocratic enough, neither Council of Europe nor OSCE express their opinion in this regard.
The human rights activist Novella Jafaroglu said during the round table that Azerbaijani nation has lost its confidence in the opposition. At present, the opposition should try to unite, but not to be become a president. "The Azerbaijani people is active enough, simply there is no a person within the opposition who could unite it and could announce the public that they are uniting for the presidential elections," she said.
Namazov also said that the opposition of Azerbaijan has split, therefore, holding this events aims at expressing general idea of the opposition.
The additions and changes into the Election Code is accepted as an attempt to restrict registration of the candidates in the election process, conduct of equal canvassing, democratic elections and opportunities of independent and opposition candidates, said the statement adopted by the representatives of more than 20 parties and non-governmental organizations who consider themselves to be democratic public.
The statement was signed by the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, Green Party of Azerbaijan, Classic Popular Front Party, Azadlig, Tereggi, Popular Socialist Bloc, Our Azerbaijan Party, Union of the Azerbaijani Intelligentsia, Zardusht Alizade and the human rights activists Arzu Abdullayeva and Novella Jafaroglu and others.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held on 15 October 2008. Additions and changes were made into the Election Code of Azerbaijan after discussions between the Azerbaijani government and Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.
The statement protests against the following shortcomings in the draft of the additions and changes into the Election Code: lack of new proposals in setting up election commissions, shortening the time allotted for the collection of signatures and canvassing, increase in the registration deposit of the candidate from AZN33,000 to AZN300,000, simplification of the procedures of liquidation candidate's registration and ban on the election campaign in the state-owned TV channel.
According to the authors of the statement, these attempts once again show the intentions of the Azerbaijani government to deprive the people of the right to a free choice.
At present, the additions and changes to the Election Code has been approved by the Parliament Commission on Judicial Law and Statehood and will be brought up for further discussion of the Milli Majlis (the Azerbaijani parliament) by the end of May.
The statement was signed by representatives of more than 20 political parties and public organizations.
The opposition Musavat party has started joint discussions with its regional organizations to stage an unsanctioned rally. Arif Hajili, Head of the Central Executive Administration of Musavat, reported to Trend that this decision was made in the meeting of the party on 19 May.
Musavat has postponed rallies twice, initially scheduled for 4May and then on 18May.
The reason for delay was due to the fact that the Executive Power of Baku did not gave its sanction to stage the planned rally on the Fuzuli square, Ukraine avenue, before the Galaba theatre or near the Narimanov metro station. However, Baku Executive Power proposed them to stage it in the Bibi Eybat settlement.
According to Hajili, the meeting was focused on unsanctioned rally. The final decision will be taken after the discussions with local departments of the party. "We made a court appeal against the Baku Executive Power. Under the decision taken in the meeting, we will take serious measures on this issue and will make a court appeal to the European Court for Human rights," Hajili stated.
Opposition party Musavat was founded in 1992. Isa Gambar, the present Chairman of the Party was the Ex-Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Majlis) in 1992-1993 and the candidate nominated to the Presidential elections held in the country in 2003. Five MPs represents the Party in the Parliament of the country.
"The Azerbaijani opposition will not boycott the upcoming presidential elections. I can say that, being a chairman of party which boycotted elections twice. Opposition will definitely participate in the presidential elections," Araz Alizade, Chairman of the Social-Democratic party of Azerbaijan (SDPA), stated.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held on 15 October 2008. The Azadlig bloc, which unites three opposition parties -Popular Front party, Liberal party and Citizen and Development party, is to boycott the upcoming presidential elections as the proposals by the opposition camp were not taken into consideration while the amendments and supplements were made into the Election Code. Earlier, the opposition had demanded to form the election commissions on the parity basis.
Alizade said that the framework of election commissions have no significant meaning. "We can hold the democratic elections in the current framework of commissions as well. The main issue is a political will," Alizade stated.
Opposition of Azerbaijan is unable to boycott the Presidential elections. "There is enough number of unrecognized leaders in the opposition who want to participate in the elections, and hereby will decrease the importance of tactics of boycott," politician Zardush Alizade reported to Trend , commenting on the pre-election situation in the Country.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held in October 2008. The Azadlig bloc, which unites three opposition parties, is expected to boycott the elections, but this tactic is not supported by other opposition parties. Musavat, Umid, Democratic, Great Establishment, Green party of Azerbaijan, Classic Popular Front Party, Unified Azerbaijan Party and Democratic Reforms Party announced their intentions to participate in the presidential elections. Politician Eldar Namazov will attend the elections as an independent candidate.
The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) has announced that their candidate will the leader of NAP, current President Ilham Aliyev.
According to Alizade, lack of unanimous attitude of opposition towards participation in elections decrease the meaning of boycott to zero. "The tactics of boycotting are senseless. It needs to attend the elections. Boycott is real if everyone joins it. Strategic faults of the opposition leaders are that they could not avoid false opposition during the period since last elections. The competition amongst the opposition leaders is so high that they may raise anybody up to status of opposition. Therefore, the tactic of boycott is senseless," the politician said.
Politician Hikmet Hajizade said to Trend that the boycotting decision of opposition depends on additions and changes to the Electoral Code. "The Code contains undemocratic articles. Reducing the period of pre-election campaign and increasing the deposit account of candidate from AZN 33,000 to AZN 300,000 will give a boost to opposition's boycott," Hajizade said.
According to him, if the changes and additions to the Electoral Code are adopted by the Parliament, the opposition will not attend the elections.
"Musavat Party wants to attend the presidential elections, but even its chairman Isa Gambar can not find $300,000 if he wants," the politician said.
According to Hajizade, opposition's making unanimous boycotting decision may make it effective. "The opinions on boycotting differ in opposition. Part of opposition describes the elections as theatre and refuses to attend, but other part says that even if the elections are theatre, they will use it as tribune," the politician said.
Fazail Gazanfaroglu, Chairman of the opposition Great Establishment party, stated to Trend that if the amendments and supplements will be adopted into the Election Code then we will boycott the elections.
Bahar Muradova, Vice Speaker of the Parliament, stated to Trend that the boycott process would not affect the results of the elections. As, the opposition has no authority amongst the population.
Isa Gambar, leader of Musavat party, Sardar Jalaloglu, chairman of Democratic party and Mais Gulaliyev, Chairman of Green party of Azerbaijan, have nominated their candidature to the presidential post. Eldar Namazov, a political scientist and Leader of the Public Forum For Azerbaijan will nominate his candidature as an independent candidate. The candidature of Ilham Aliyev will be nominated from the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party. The Azadlig bloc, which unites three opposition parties -Popular Front party, Liberal party and Citizen and Development party, is to boycott the upcoming presidential elections.
The Green Party of Azerbaijan appealed to the Advisory Council of the opposition to join the organization, the Co-chair of the Green Party of Azerbaijan, Mayis Gulaliyev, reported to Trend on 22 May.
The Advisory Council brings together Azerbaijan Democratic Party, Musavat Party, Taraggi Party, National Independence Party and Forum "For Azerbaijan".
According to Gulaliyev, the Green Party has good relations with all opposition organizations represented in the Council. The closing decision on Green Party's membership to the Council will be made after discussions at meeting of Musavat High Assembly, Gulaliyev said.
According to him, before the presidential elections, the Green Party will sign bilateral and trilateral agreements with the parties represented in the Council,
In addition, the Green Party of Azerbaijan is a member to Democratic Elections Center which unites nine parties - Azerbaijan Classic Popular Front Party, Azadlyg Party, National Democratic Party, Great Establishment Party, Azerbaijan Unified Popular Front Party, Great Azerbaijan Party, Open Society Party, Takamul Party and Green Party.
"The nine parties represented in the Center jointly function only with regards to improvement of the Electoral Code and democratization of the election process. The five parties discuss the issues connected with participation in the presidential elections. Above-mentioned coalition serves various goals," Gulaliyev said.
The attempts of the Azerbaijani MP Ali Masimov to establish a new political party failed. "We held weak effort to establish the new Union of Free Democrats party," Masimov said.
Masimov had been the Chief of the Economy Management Department at the Presidential Administration since 1991, Senior Advisor of Socio-Economic Department, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Investment Committee since 1992, First Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of State Committee on Economy and Planning, as well as he was acting Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and had been the President of the public organization Union of Independent Economists from 1993 to 2005. On 6 November 2005, Masimov was elected and MP from 116 election districts in Shaki City of Azerbaijan.
Masimov said that his key goal is to unite the intellectuals, who think of the future of Azerbaijan and mobilize their effort to make the country more strong. However, Masimov stated that he would never refuse from establishing of the party in spite of all the financial difficulties.
Nagorno-Karabakh
Azerbaijan has refused to hold talks with the Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Nagorno-Karabakh should independently take part in the talks on peaceful settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan," Bako Saakyan, the president of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic said to Vedomosti. "There is a key party in the conflict - an independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic- with the same priorities as in the case of other foreign states," Saakyan said.
"From the very beginning, the talks on settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were held with Armenia as an aggressor country, but not with those who are inhabited in Nagorno-Karabakh to serve as a screen," Khazar Ibrahim, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan said to Trend on 19 May.
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 the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
According to Ibrahim, head of the Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh made some mistakes in his statements. "There is not any "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NGR)" concept; there is only Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh. At the moment, no talks can be held with the representatives of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic," he said.
According to spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, "NGR" is not functioning within the Azerbaijani law, this territory and other surrounding lands are under the Armenian occupation who directly takes part in all the illegal moves against Azerbaijan. These illegal moves by Armenia led to the fact that some people in Nagorno-Karabakh call themselves official representatives of some judicial institution, Ibrahim said.
Talks with the Armenian community can be held only in case Armenia liberates Azerbaijani territory, Azerbaijani community returns to its lands and all conditions are provided for the peaceful co-existence of both communities in Nagorno-Karabakh, the official representative of the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry said.
The Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan hopes that the upcoming meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents Serj Sarkisyan and Ilham Aliyev, to be held within the framework of the talks on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, will yield some positive results, the foreign minister of Armenia said in an interview with Channel 2 of Armenia.
He expressed his hope that 'our cooperation will be continued' after the meeting of the heads of the two countries, Panarmenain said.
Serj Sarkisyan and Ilham Aliyev will meet on 7 June in St Petersburg.
On 19 May, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire agreement from the territories located in Fuzuli region, as well as on 20 May from the posts located near the Berd region of Armenian Republic and from the positions near Chinarli and Mosesgah villages. The Armenian Armed Forces fired at the Azerbaijani positions in the Tovuz region and Kokha Nabi, Agdam and Alibayli villages, as well as the positions located near Gizil Oba and Geyarkh villages of Tartar region, Khojavand region, Kuropatkino village and Yusifjanli village of Agdam region, a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry, reported.
The National Army of Azerbaijan retaliated and no casualties were reported
On 20 and 21 May, the Armenian Armed Forces violated ceasefire agreement from the positions located in the Chinari and Mosesgah villages of Berd region of Armenia and fired at the Azerbaijani positions near the Tovuz and Tartar region, as well as Tapgaragoyunlu village of Goranboy and Khojavand region, Kuropatkino village and Ashagi Veysalli village of Fuzuli region, a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry, reported.
The National Army of Azerbaijan retaliated and no casualties were reported.
On 21 May, the Armenian Armed Forces violated ceasefire agreement from the positions located in the territory of Mosesgah, Aygedzor and Chinarli villages of Berd region of Armenia and fired at the Azerbaijani positions near the Kokha Nabi, Agdam and Agbulag villages of Tovuz region, Tapgaragoyunlu village of Goranboy and Khojavand region, as well as at Gizil Oba village of Tartar region on 22 May, a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry, reported.
The National Army of Azerbaijan retaliated and no casualties were reported.
The Armenian Armed Forces, from the positions located in the Chinari and Mosesgeh village in the Berd region of Armenia, from unnamed hills in the Noemberan region and from Berdavan village, from Berkaber village in the Ijavan region violated the ceasefire regime by firing at the Azerbaijani National Army's positions located in the Tovuz, Agdam, Gazakh regions; from Gushchu Ayrim and Kamarli villages from 5.55pm to 8.30pm on 22 May; from Tapgaragoyunlu and Borsunlu villages in the Goranboy region from 5.20pm to 7.40pm; from the Kuropatkino village in Khojavand region from 7.20am to 7.45am; from nearby of Ashagi Abdulrahmanli village in Fizuli region from 8.45pm to 9.00p; from nearby of Chilabart village Terter region from 4.00a, to 4.30am on 23 May, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported.
The National Army of Azerbaijan retaliated and no casualties were reported.
A monitoring was held by the personal representative of Chairman-in-office of OSCE in the border regions located near the Garakhanbayli village of Fuzuli region on 22 May, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported to Trend .
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 the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
In 1994, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a ceasefire agreement, and peace negotiations are currently ongoing between the countries.
From the Azerbaijani side the monitoring was held by Imre Palatinus and Antal Herdich, Personal Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office.
From the Armenian side the monitoring was held by Pieter Ki and Vladimir Chontulov ( Bulgaria), the Field Assistant to Personal Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office.
