Official news
On 17 May Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev received the Executive Director of BP, a British oil company, Andrew English, Trend reports.
The head of state stressed that this year the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Eezerum- oil and gas pipeline will start functioning this year, noting their significance not only for the region, but also for the world from the aspect of energy security. The president underlined the role of BP in the implementation of the countrys energy strategy.
English noted the progress in the sphere of implementation of energy projects in Azerbaijan over the past year. Azerbaijan is a reliable partner in the sphere of energy security. BP will hence continue cooperating with Azerbaijan, he underscored
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received on 15 May the Japanese Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Tadahiro Abe, Trend reports.
The head of state reminded of his fruitful official visit to Tokyo and talks held with the Japanese Prime Minister. Aliyev voiced his hope that the bilateral relationships between Azerbaijan and Japan would be developed.
Abe said that his country appreciates the Azerbaijani Presidents visit to Japan. It opened opportunities for the Japanese businessmen to receive comprehensive information on countrys economic development.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev accepted on 19 May 2006 a request by the Azerbaijani First Deputy Prime Minister, Abbas Abbasov, on his resignation, Trend reports.
In his application submitted to the head of state Abbasov underlined that the 2006 sees the 14th year of appointment as the First Deputy Prime Minister. Heydar Aliyev played a key role in my career. I regard your pleasant treatment as the best estimation of my activities.
According to Abbasov, it is necessary to carry out uninterrupted rotation in staff and bring people with modern world outlook to the high ranking positions in line with the existing situation. On the eve of the presidential elections you stated you will be President of every Azerbaijani citizen and you took your promise. I ask you to accept my resignation, says the appeal.
In accordance with another decree by the Azerbaijani President, Abbasov was awarded Order of Independence for his merits in the state service.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev receive don 19 May the head of the Great Silk Route project, US violoncellist, Yo Yo Ma, Trend reports..
During the talks Yo Yo Ma said that he was waiting with impatience his to Azerbaijan and voiced his satisfaction with the tour of Azerbaijan. The US musician reminded that earlier he met with Azerbaijan arts masters. He also marked tremendous work doe over the past few ear for upgrade of the national culture in Azerbaijan.
The head of state voiced his satisfaction with the visit of the world renowned violoncellist to Baku and underlined the significance of such visits in the context of propaganda of the Azerbaijani culture.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev today received Mehti Safari, Irans special representative for Caspian affairs, Trend reports.
In the course of the meeting, Mr Safari passed Azeri president greetings from Irans President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, stating the satisfaction with the meeting of heads of states within Economic Cooperation Organization to have been held in Baku.
In turn, Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and asked the guest to pass his greetings to Irans head in response.
The sides also discussed other issues of mutual concern.
Official Baku considers friendly, openly cooperation with Italy one of its priority-driven issues. These words, Trend reports, are included in congratulation address by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev for new Italian PM Romano Prodi on occasion of his appointment Prime Minister.
В"We state our satisfaction with development of fruitful relations, both mutual and within the limits of international relations. He highly appraise Italys activity within MG OSCE for peaceful resolution of Azeri nations hardest problem Armenian-Azeri conflictВ", - the document states.
Ilham Aliyev stated participation of Italian companies in transnational projects executed in Azerbaijan, as well as extension of mutual business-relationships between the two countries.
Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to the Norwegian Prime Minister, Yen Stoltenberg in connection with the national holiday the Day of Constitution, Trend reports.
In his letter the head of state voiced his hope the mutually profitable friendly relationships between Azerbaijan and Norway will be developed and consolidated.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree to appoint Shahmar Mohsumov, the General Director of the NBA, the Executive Director of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAR), Trend reports.
In this post he replaced Samir Sharifov, who has been recently promoted to the post of Minister of Finances.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree for conferring honorary titles to cultural workers in the republic. 15 cultural workers have been conferred the rank National Artist.
39 persons, in turn, have been conferred the rank В"Honorary ArtistВ" and 12 Honorary Cultural Worker.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on regulations, structure and staff of the Ministry of Industry and Energy, Trend reports.
In accordance with the decree, the sate government on gas control of Azerigas closed joint-stock company is given to the disposal of the Ministry of Industry and Energy. Expenses for this organizations activities in 2006 will be covered by Azerigas, while from 2007 public budget. The staff of the employees of the newly established Ministry was set as 180 people.
The Cabinet of Ministers is committed to prepare and present to the President in a month proposals concerning the unification of existing standard acts in line with the decree.
Along with the state government on gas control, the structure of the Ministry will also include state government on energy control.
On May 18 the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a Decree on Establishing a Professional Holiday of Employees of the Civil Aviation, IAA Trend reports.
It is pointed out that taking into consideration the figure of the Civil Aviation employees in the development of Azerbaijan, the President decrees to declare June 2 as the Day of Employees of the Civil Aviation.
It is should marked that just June 2, 1938 the first Azerbaijani aviation group was created.
The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order on Oljas Suleymaovs being awarded with the order Shohrat (Glory) on May 17, 2006.
He was awarded with the order due to his activity in the consolidation of relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, IAA Trend reports.
The President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev appointed Elmar Guliyev the Head of the Executive Power of Sharur District of Nakchivan Autonomous Republic, IAA Trend reports.
According to other the President`s Decree, Rafael Rasulov was dismissed from the position of Head of Executive Power of Sharur District.
MP Mehriban Aliyeva, President of Heydar Aliyevs Fund and UNESCOs Good Will Ambassador, was awarded the bonus instituted by Turkish TV channel 7 and First Business, Trend reports quoting Yegana Kadayifchioglu, representative of the magazine.
Aliyeva was awarded the В"Ambassador of Friendship and Love of the Year in Turkish WorldВ" bonus.
Awarding ceremony will be held today in Istanbuls Kaya Ramada hotel at 900PM Baku time and broadcasted on Channel 7.
Nearly 300 famous representatives of business circles, politicians, governmental officials are expected at the ceremony.
The bonus to Mehriban Aliyeva was handed by Ibrahim Nabiogli, Azeri Consul General to Istanbul.
Foreign policy
Approximately on May 22 or 23 Azeri president Ilham Aliyev is visiting Kiev to participate in the summit of GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova), said Novruz Mamedov, head of Foreign Relations with Presidents Administration, giving an exclusive interview to Trend.
Mamedov said Azerbaijan is one of the founders of this organization. В"GUAM is firstly a structure that brings together the countries interests in embodying economic projects in the region, especially along the Silk Way. Today GUAM shall revise several issues, including its expansion to an international organization. In this connection, we have some certain offers and GUAMs executives invited European, Asian officials, as well as international organizations, to participate in the summitВ", - Mamedov said.
A program of the bilateral meetings of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev within the framework a summit of GUAM, a regional organization among Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova, to be held in Kiev on 23 May is under development, Sabuhi Temirov, the adviser at the Azerbaijani embassy in Ukraine, told Trend.
According to Temirov, the presidents of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova voiced their will meet with the Azerbaijani President. During the summit the head of state also plans to meet with the heads of delegations of other countries interested in the cooperation with the GUAM, including the Presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania.
The Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade will visit to Dushanbe from 24 to 25 May, the Cabinet of Ministers told Trend. The visit targets participation in a meeting of the CIS Board of PMs.
It is planned to consider an agreement on establishment of an Interstate Fund on Humanitarian Cooperation of CIS member-states and its Charter.
It is also planned to adopt a Concept on development of older education in CIS, a concept on development of social and medical bases of improvement of the living standards and prophylactics of loss of ability of war veterans, a program on major events in the sphere of culture in the period till 2010.
Moreover, some issues of financial character have been developed by the CIS Executive Committee for the Councils meeting. A concept on formation of national database and organization of interstate exchange of information on prevention and detention of law-violators in the sphere of intellectual property, staff resolution and some other issues will also be under consideration.
The CE Ministerial Committee has voiced its satisfaction with the positive assessment made by the Parliamentary Assembly of the rerun of the parliamentary elections in ten constituencies in Azerbaijan on 13 May, which was a prelude to future major elections in this country in its 116th session n Strasbourg
Discussing the conduct of transparent democratic elections they noted the necessity of reconsideration of the Azerbaijani Elections Code, in particular, active cooperation with the CE Venice Commission.
To guarantee the conduct of overall democratic elections the Ministerial Committee notes the demand for reconsideration of the Azerbaijani legislation through cooperation with the CE Venice Commission, the ministers underlined.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who participated in the gathering, stated that Azerbaijan ratified the 14th European Convention on Human Rights .
After his speech, the Head of Azerbaijan Foreign Office submitted the ratification document of the protocol to the European Council Secretary General Terry Devis.
Also today (May 19) in Strasburg the meeting of GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, azerbaijan, Moldova) states-members` Foreign Ministers was held.
Then the Azerbaijan Foreign Minister held bilateral meetings with the Foreign Minister of Slovakia Dmitry Rupel, his Georgian colleague Gela Bejuashvilli, as well as with Ronald Vegener.
Jewish organizations worldwide do their best to support Azerbaijan fro canceling 907th and Jackson-Wenicks amendments, reportedly said Yosef Shagal, Israeli MP, speaking at news conference in Baku.
Shagal said Israeli-Azeri relationships are unique and may serve an example of civilizations intimacy for the entire world.
Alongside, he said, opening of Azeri Embassy to Israel is a significant step that will help break news vacuum in Israeli society. В"Israeli public knows almost nothing about Azerbaijan. I hope Azerbaijan will be represented in Israel at the level of cultural center or economic representationВ", - Shagal said.
He said there are over a hundred thousand Jews-emigrants from Azerbaijan, which is a significant force. I would love Azeri-Israeli relationships to be really nice and constructive. Azerbaijan may get a powerful partner in person of Israel and international Jewish communities that are very influencing in worlds politics, he concluded.
In his exclusive interview with Trend the chairman of the CE Ministerial Committee, also the Romanian Foreign Minister, Mihai Rezvan Unguruan noted that the second session of the Economic Joint Governmental Commission, due to take place this summer in Baku, will help identifying new opportunities for cooperation.
South Caucasus is a region of primary interest for Europe, given its geo-strategic location and its role as a link in the East - West energy corridor, as well as in the Eurasian transport corridor. В"I will be able to make the intended trip, Baku will undoubtedly be part of the program. Romanian-Azerbaijani bilateral relations will also be on the agenda of my talks in Baku, in an attempt to identify new ways of strengthening our ties and prepare for future actions, he underlined.
Romania has constantly supported a political, negotiated solution for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Such a resolution can only be achieved by referring to the principles of international law, the minister underlined.
The visit of the Archbishop-Secretary on External Affairs of Vatican Mont Senior Giovanni Laylo to Baku started on Saturday (20 May). The representative of Roman Catholic Church to Azerbaijan Ian Chapla told Trend, the program of his visit is rather rich.
The Saturday program of the Mont Seniors visit includes the visit the place where the Azerbaijan Ex-President Heydar Aliyev was buried, the participation in the opening of the poor people`s home built in Nizami District of Baku City where nurses of the Order of Mother Teresa work. Mont Senior to visit the place where a new catholic charge to be built. At 12:30 pm on Sunday the Archbishop to serve the Holy Mess at the Baku Jesus Expiator Roman Catholic Church.
Mont Seniors official meetings to be held on Monday, May 22. The program of official meetings includes a meeting with Foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov, President Ilham Aliyev, Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev, National Issues State Advisor Idayat Orujov and the Chairman of the Administration of Caucasus Muslims Sheikh- ul- Islam Hajji Allahshukur Pashazadeh.
The delayed in the consultations between Azerbaijan and the European Union on the Action within the framework of the New Neighborhood Program can be held late this May, Arif Mammadov, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the Benelux countries and EU told Trend.
According to Mammadov, the next round of consultations to be held in Baku on 15 May was postponed at EUs request. The diplomat noted that Azerbaijan proposed to clarify the terminology in the document under development, as well as the issue on territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The EU has never made doubtful the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but we want more exact formulation of this item in the document, Mammadov underscored. However the EU, which considered the document from the comic aspect, offered not to inject corrections of political character, while Baku objected. The same time Mammadov underlined the absence of disagreement of between the sides and in the near future the EU will submit its opinion and after j nest round of consultations will start.
EU mission will be led by Huge Mingarelli, the Director of the General Director on Relationships with Central and East Europe. Azerbaijani side will be headed by Mahmud Mammadguliyev, the Deputy Foreign Minister.
The meeting is expected to focus on final version of an action plan allocated for 5 years. The action covers bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, trade, culture, social and legal spheres. The draft document was first discussed in Baku in December, while the second round of talks was held in Brussels on 7 March.
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
As a result of the cease-fire breaking by Armenian military forces at 630AM, May 17, one soldier of Azeri Military forces was killed, Trend reports quoting Ilgar Verdiyev, acting chief of press service of Defense Ministry.
Armenian forces located in occupied villages of Terter area fired positions of Azeri army and positions in Tapgaygoyunlu village of Geranboy area. As a result, private Eldar Rafik oglu Hajigaiobov was killed in action.
The last statement by the ex-co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russian Ambassador Vladimir Kazimirov, is a dangerous tendency which damages the peaceable resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as the Russian-Azerbaijani relationships, Novruz Mammadov, the head of the foreign Relations Department of the Azerbaijani Presidents Apparat, told Trend.
Kazimirov in his statement for PanARMENIAN.Net, dated May 18, made doubtful the UN Declaration dated 1948, confirmed by the Helsinki Agreement, on principles of tight of the nation and inviolability of borders. At present the principle is ineffective. President Aliyev believes in these principles as dogma and therefore, turns out in deadlock. Even I dont mention his war rhetoric disfigures the moral stratum of society, pressures on mentality of younger generation. Mammadov stressed that marazmus statements by Kazimirov is nothing else that settlement of his financial problems in old years of life thanks to close relationships with Armenians.
Mammadov was also indignant on Kazaimirovs statement in the Golos Armenia, which cites ex-Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev who as though stated the talk with him on 20 July 1993 with breaking voice Lets suppress Armenians Kazimirov continues that, Refusal from listening to wise position resulted in loss of 7 districts. Now they state we will take a revenge. Mammadov attributed such a statement as slander, biased, distortion of history, result of sick imagination, as well as hindrance in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Azerbaijani officer assured that such ideas cannot reflect Russias official standpoint as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair.
The state official said that the Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan was invited to the Foreign Ministry on 20 May in this respect and Baku voiced his dissatisfaction in his respect.
The summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE will be held in Brussels on 3-7 July 2006. Azerbaijan delegates will attend the gathering, Trend reports.
The delegation headed by the Vice Speaker of Milli Majlis [Azerbaijan parliament], Bahar Muradova, includes the chairman of the permanent parliamentary commission on human rights, Rabiyyat Aslanova, head of the commission on agrarian policy, Eldar Ibrahimov and Fattah Heydarov.
The Azerbaijani delegation will put forward Nagorno-Karabakh problem for discussion. Signatures by MPs from 2-3 countries are needed in this respect. Ibrahimov said voiced his assurance that Azerbaijans proposal will be supported by Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and some Mediterranean countries.
On 24 May the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Karasin will pay a visit to Azerbaijan, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Trend.
The two-day visit will focus on the situation with the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Along with Karasin, the Director of the French Foreign Institute for political issues, Stanislav DLabule and US Assistant Secretary of State, Daniel Fried.
They will be accompanied by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Russian Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov, French Ambassador Bernard Fassie and US Ambassador Steven Mann.
There has no been any agreement on the meeting between Azerbaijan`s and Armenia`s Presidents to be held in Paris at the end of May, the Chief of the President`s Apparatus Department of External Affairs Novruz Mammadov exclusively told IAA Trend.
According to him the possibility of meeting between the two presidents during the Spring Session of NATO Parliament Assembly in Paris is just a fantasy of the journalists who suggested if Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev participate in the forum journalist fantasy, a next round of negotiations will be.
Moreover, Mr. N. Mammadov confirmed that President Ilham Aliyev willl take part at the session at the end of May. He is to take part and delivery a speech to 450 representatives of NATO member-states during the plenary session. The President is to tell about measures taken towards Azerbaijan`s integration into Euro Atlantic structures, he told.
PACE rapporteur on monitoring of the state of culture monuments in South Caucasus, British MP Edward Ohara will visit Baku on 28 May, the CE information office in Baku told Trend.
During the visit to last by 31 May as part of his tour of the region OHara will also visit Armenian and the occupied Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The Azerbaijani embassy in Moscow has sent a note to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the embassy told Trend.
A protest note was issued in connection with the participation of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh republic in an international tourist exhibition which opened in Moscow. The embassy said that they had not received an answer to a note till evening hours of Monday [15 May].
A group of Azerbaijani students held a protest action during the exhibition to hinder the participation of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh republic in the event.
Political Life
Gert Arens, the head of the OSCE Observation Mission on elections in Azerbaijan met on 16 May with the chairman of the Central Elections Commission (CEC), the CEC told Trend.
The talks focused on re-run parliamentary elections held in Azerbaijan on 13 May in 10 constituencies. The CEC chairman announced that the elections were in success and informed about the results of polls. Arens spoke about the OSCE observers activities, results of monitoring and conclusions.
Excluding the OSCE officials other international observers, including the CIS observation mission left the country.
I do not have grounds to doubt in the conclusion by the head of PACE Observation mission on results of re-run parliamentary elections held on 13 May in Azerbaijan in 10 constituencies, Andreas Herkel, co-rapporteur of the PACE Monitoring Committee, told Trend in an exclusive interview.
Herkel intends to arrive in Baku on 25 May together with Andreas Gross, a PACE co-rapporteur, to study the state of work in different issues, including the re-run parliamentary elections. He is scheduled to hold meetings with the government officials, representatives of the opposition, law-defense organizations, local observers, as well as inmates.
Results of the visit will be publicized in PACE summer session late this May.
After the re-run elections Leo Platvoed stated in Baku the progress in polling after the re-run parliamentary elections. He appreciated the exact compiling of voter lists. We fixed only few cases of non-inclusion of voters in the lists, which was timely resolved in the legal order, Platvoed stressed.
The partial repeat parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan on 13 May revealed need for ongoing electoral reform, according to statement by the Limited Election Observation Mission (LEOM) from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR, Trend reports.
While the partial repeat parliamentary elections in the Republic of Azerbaijan on 13 May reflected improvement in some aspects of the process, a Limited Election Observation Mission (LEOM) from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR, noted issues of continued concern that underscore the need for ongoing electoral reform.
The OSCE/ODIHR mission found that while the repeat election process reflected some improvements, such as an inclusive candidate registration, a largely unimpeded campaign, and increased opportunities for participation of domestic observers, there were several issues of concern. These issues included the composition of election commissions, instances of interference by local authorities in the election process, and the handling of complaints and appeals by election commissions and courts.
The mission consisting of six election experts and seven long-term observers was attracted to conduct of observation during the re-run parliamentary elections.
The mission noted a number of irregularities in the conduct of the voting, counting and tabulation processes; however, in a welcome step towards increased transparency, the Central Election Commission posted result protocols by polling stations on its website on the morning after the election. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly sent a small delegation, headed by Mr. Joao Soares, to observe on election day.
Following the comprehensive OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission to the 6 November 2005 parliamentary elections OSCE/ODIHR issued an overall assessment of the parliamentary elections in its Final Re-port issued on 1 February 2006
The United States welcomes the improvements noted by international monitors in Azerbaijans May 13th parliamentary re-run elections, Trend reports citing Ambassador Julie Finley as stating to the OSCE in May 18 remarks on the re-run elections, which saw new campaigns and balloting in 10 parliamentary constituencies.
We urge the Government of Azerbaijan to continue to work with ODIHR [Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, an agency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)] and to implement its recommendations so that the electoral process in Azerbaijan can meet fully international standards, a U.S. diplomat told Europes largest security and human-rights organization May 18
These re-run elections should be viewed in the overall context of the November 6th, 2005 parliamentary elections, Finley said, adding: We continue to share the comprehensive assessment of ODIHR on that process.
The United States urged the government of Azerbaijan to undertake immediate investigations into charges of irregularities and fraud consistent with Azerbaijan's laws, institutions and election legislation.
The United States supports strongly the strengthening of democratic institutions and civil society in Azerbaijan, including efforts to improve the electoral process, Ambassador Julie Finley told the OSCE in May 18 remarks on the re-run elections, which saw new campaigns and balloting in 10 parliamentary constituencies.
Finley welcomed the improvements in the implementation of finger-inking, as well as the rapid posting of the results on the Web site of the Central Election Commission. She said the United States especially was pleased that a large number of domestic election observers participated in the election process, since local involvement of citizens is integral to democratic processes. She also noted that there was consistency between official and exit-poll results.
These re-run elections should be viewed in the overall context of the November 6th, 2005 parliamentary elections, Finley said, adding: We continue to share the comprehensive assessment of ODIHR on that process.
The United States will continue to support the aspirations of the government and people of Azerbaijan to build a democratic, prosperous and peaceful future, the U.S. representative to the OSCE concluded.
13 May repeat parliamentary elections strengthened Azerbaijans influence worldwide as a democratic state, reportedly said Samed Seyidov, head of Azeri delegation to PACE.
Seyidov said the totals of these reelections are very significant for Azerbaijan as we witnessed transparent and fair voting positively influencing Azerbaijans image worldwide.
He said also these reelections would be discussed in PACE. В"These totals will be discussed whether they are positive or negative. However, we do not expect ay problems at these discussionsВ", - Seyidov underlined.
Seyidov said also the PACEs Observation missions report will also include OSC observers opinions.
Leo Platvoed, head of OSCE Observation Mission, said the elections had been conducted at the highest level. Finger-marking with ink also met international standards.
On May 16 a regular meeting of the Presidium of the Democratic Party Reforms was held, the partys press-service told Trend.
During the meeting a social-political situation in Azerbaijan and the 13 May by-election were discussed. The Chairman of the democratic Reforms Party told the Presidium about his trip to Lithuania and Germany.
The Presidium proclaimed the partys position towards the by-election held in May 13. The Democratic Reforms Party noted a progress in the by election held in May 13, and shares international observation missions opinions including OSCE and European Council, is told in the statement of the party. At the same time the party establishes Azerbaijans election system imperfection, a necessity of changing the existing election legislation, as well as the presence of monopoly of political parties in election committees.
The Party considers that Azerbaijan should continue its cooperation with the Venice Commission in changing the structure of election committees and elimination of shortcomings in the legislation.
The Party also marks that it is necessary to reform election legislation and system in Azerbaijan, and considers their correspondence with European ones as important. The party has already presented the public its suggestions concerning these issues, is told in the statement.
On May 17 the Chairman of the Democratic Reforms Party Asim Mollazadeh met the Ambassador of France to Azerbaijan Bernard Amodrik due Shafoe.
As the Press Service of the Party told IAA Trend, during the meeting social-political such issues as the situation in the country, the by-election, Azerbaijan`s integration into the Euro Atlantic system, the policy of new neighbourhood with EU, processes around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were discussed.
Asim Mollazadeh informed the ambassador about the party`s position towards the by-election, and necessary reforms in the spheres of election legislation and election system.
During the meeting both of them focused their attention on bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and France, as well as multilateral cooperation between our countries.
Several questions connected with the technical provision of the Constitutional Court within the joint program of the Azerbaijan government and the World Bank were also discussed during the meeting
Civil Solidarity Party (CSP) is satisfied with the results of repeat parliamentary elections, reportedly said MP Sabir Rustamkhanli, chairman of CSP.
He said CSP nominee Fazail Ibrahimli was a candidate in Jalilabad-Masalli-Bilasuvar district #69 and succeeded. Rustamkhanli said, quoting, В"Prior to the elections, I was in a two-day trip to district #69 and visited villages together with Fazail Ibrahimli. His campaign was going without any interruption. We are satisfied with election as our candidate succeededВ".
Head of party said also В"I suggest some people on the top realized that interfering election process may distort the elections themselves. Therefore, there was no discrepancy between the totals of exit-polls and official results of elections. However, some people are dissatisfied with the electionsВ"
We do not think to withdraw from parliament at the moment, and this issue is not even to be discussed, reportedly said Isa Gambar, leader of Mussavat party.
Some cofounders of Azadlyg block declared that Mussavat withdraws from the parliament it may be cooperated with.
Gambar said the party is committed to its usual position of participating in repeat elections and in the work of the parliament. He claimed Azadlyg block accusing Mussavat regardless of the results of the reelections.
Leaders of opposition parties-former allies of Mussavat are not invited to the partys congress held May 29, Trend reports quoting Isa Gambar, head of Mussavat party.
Organization committee for congress preparation did not considered necessary to invite representatives of other parties. В"We are going to make a single-day work congress. Usually we invite many guests to two- or three-day congresses, but this time we dont have time to handle themВ", - said Gambar.
В"There are some suggestions on creation of a post of chairman of the partys Medjlis. I agree with this idea and suggest women should constitute a quarter of collegial bodies of the party. Besides, we should create a followers institute within the party. All these ideas should be displayed in our Charter and I think the congress may accept themВ", - he concluded.
State building
Yosef Shagal, head of Israeli-Azeri group for interparliamentary friendship, who is currently visiting Baku, led a meeting in Milli Medjlis, Trend reports with reference to press service of Azeri parliament.
At the meeting, future development of interparliamentary relations has been spoken of. Yevda Abramov, head of Azeri-Israeli group for interparliamentary friendship, said friendship groups contribute greatly to these relations development.
Abramov said also his election to Milli Medjlis is confirming international and democratic nature of Azerbaijan Republic. He informed the guests of public and political situation and life of Jews in Azerbaijan.
Shagal stated his satisfaction with the visit and hope for the soonest opening of Azeri Embassy to Israel, saying this will also contribute to strengthening of Azeri-Israeli relations.
Azerbaijani Defense Minister received on 19 May the commander-in-chief of NATOs Air Forces in Europe, General William Tom Hobbins, the Ministry told Trend.
During the meeting Abiyev noted that Azerbaijan closely cooperates with NATO and the United States. The cooperation with NATO successfully continues in line with the Action Plan on Individual Partnership. Concerning the existing military-political situation in the South Caucasus region the minister said that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the major reason impeding the rehabilitation of peace and stability in the region. Armenia with its destructive policy avoids from peaceable talks and keeps under occupation 20% of Azerbaijani territory, he underlined.
In his turn, General Hobbins noted the successes in the cooperation between NATO and Azerbaijan. The successful implementation of the Action Plan of the Individual Partnership will bring close the country with the bloc. He also noted that the visit targets familiarity with the air forces of Azerbaijan. I believe that the US-Azerbaijan cooperation in the sphere of air forces is getting expanded, he underlined.
The gathering focused on exchange of opinion on future perspectives of the US-Azerbaijan military cooperation between, integration in to the European organizations, Azerbaijans activities under the anti-terror coalition and different issues of mutual concern.
Migration Service within Ministry of Interior will be controlling foreigners arriving in Azerbaijan, reportedly said Ramil Usubov, Azeri Minister of Interior, speaking May 16 at the opening of building of Migration Service.
Minister said Migration Service had been established as per Presidents Decree for aid to migrants signed in July 2005.
В"After achieving its independence, people started coming to our country from abroad. For example, last year alone 1.260mln foreigners came to Azerbaijan. Knowing the purpose of their visit, terms and other related issues gives the warranty for the countrys securityВ", - Usubov said.
Minister also described the main tasks of the Service. He said it will perform operations to prevent illegal immigration and control legal migration. В"This service will be examining immigration applications from foreign citizens and persons without citizenshipВ" - Usubov said.
The Service is going to tightly cooperate with Ministry of National Security and State Border Guard Service.
Both buildings of Migration Service have been constructed to meet European standards. There are rooms with 40 places for apprehended illegal immigrants, aid posts, briefing hall, computer room and so.
Around ten thousand Azerbaijanis removed from Georgia to Azerbaijan over the past 10 years. The Azerbaijani Interior Minister Ramil Usubov informed Trend.
The minister noted that the continuation of this process disappoints us.
Indeed, on the one hand, it is a normal process. The standard of living in Azerbaijan differs from Georgia and is at the high level. But at the same time, there are negative aspects in this process. One of the surprising aspects is that the Georgian Azerbaijanis were removed from their lands where they have been living for centuries said Ramil Usubov
According to the Minister, mass flow to Azerbaijan will be regulated in accordance with law. He emphasized that in connection with this problem, it was necessary to make amendments to the relevant law.
Fighting with human trafficking in Azerbaijan is held successfully, the Azerbaijani Interior Minister Ramil Usubov informed Trend.
Tens of people involved in human trafficking have been instituted to criminal proceedings, stood before the court and jailed. There have been formed a public opinion that the situation in Azerbaijan connected with the human trafficking is too heavy and the number of victims of this crime is more than other countries. I dont agree with this opinion, the Minister stressed.
According to the Interior Minister, the law-enforcement bodies prevent such crimes. In the near future, the Department for Human Trafficking Enforcement established under the Central Department for Organized Crimes Enforcement will become an independent body.
The deputy head of the National Central Bureau of Interpol, Ismayil Akhundov, is participating in a conference of representative of Interpols European member-countries, which started in Minsk on 17 May, the National Central Bureau of Interpol in Azerbaijan told Trend.
The key objective of the conference, the 35th in its turn, is combat of terror, human trafficking, definition of places of criminals in search and expansion of efforts for exchange of information in the sphere of arrest among Interpol member-states.
Farhad Abdullayev, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Constitutional Court (CC), met Donna Dousett-Koirolo, the Director of the World Bank Southern Caucasus Countries Department, on May 17, 2006. The press service of the Constitutional Court informed IAA Trend.
Abdullayev provided information about the court reforms held over the recent years. Besides, Abdullayev noted that the upgrade project of the court system realized by the Azerbaijan Government in cooperation with the World Bank allowed providing all court organs of the country with modern equipment and creating a better situation for the courts work improvement.
Douset-Koirolo emphasized that the project would be a beneficial for Azerbaijan`s court organs. She spoke about the necessity of providing the courts with modern equipments.
Fikret Mamedov, Azeri Justice Minister, signed a document for establishment of new public control council in penal system, Trend reports quoting Musa Humbatov, chief of Central Board for Execution of Court Verdicts (CBECV) with Ministry of Justice.
В"Upon dismissal of Aydin Gasymov, former chief of CBECV, Penal System Public Control Council was dismissed as well. At the initiative of Justice Minister Fikret Mamedov, the session was held and we suggested establishment of a new Public structure. However, this time I will be named Public Committee, - Humbatov said.
Humbatov said also 11 NGOs representatives consisted the Public Committee. В"The committee will be operated based on suggestions put forward by these NGOsВ" - he added.
