Official News
Over the period of Azerbaijans independence, the relations with Ukraine have reached a high level. The co-operation is developing in the spheres of policy, economy, culture and other spheres. I am sure that the visit will further strengthen the relations between our countries, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told at the meeting with Ukrainian President Victor Yushenka on September 7 in Baku.
We discussed the bilateral issues of mutual interest, Aliyev underlined.
According to Ukrainian President, the strategic relations between the two countries meet not only Ukrainian interests, but also bilateral relations.
On September 7, seven documents were signed in Baku within the visit of Ukrainian President Victor Yushenka to Azerbaijan. The presidents of the two countries signed Joint Declaration, Trend reports.
The following documents were signed:
- Agreement On cooperation between National Joint-Stock company Oil and Gas of Ukraine and State Oil Company of Azerbaijan;
- Agreement between State Nuclear Regulation Committee of Ukraine and Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan On cooperation in the sphere of radiation security;
- Agreement between Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Azerbaijan Ministry of Agriculture On cooperation in the sphere of state researches and protection of plant types;
Agreement between the Cabinets of Ministers of Ukraine and Azerbaijan On International Combined Cargo Transportations;
Agreement between Foreign Ministries of Azerbaijan and Ukraine On training of diplomatic employees;
Agreement between Cabinets of Ministers of Ukraine and Azerbaijan On cooperation in the sphere of protection of environment
During the talks in Baku on 7 September the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Ukraine made a resolution on the establishment of a new consultative mechanism between the two countries. It will be a council of the two President.
Ukrainian President Victor Yuschenko noted that the Council will develop a strategic plan on co-operation, which will reflect the issues of bilateral relationships.
Azerbaijani Present Ilham Aliyev stated that during Yuschenkos official visit they discussed a range of issues, analyzed the situation, as well as perspectives for the co-operation, the Azerbaijani President stressed.
We regard Ukraine as a friend and important partner. The talks also focused on co-operation in the energy sector and relevant bodies were given concrete instructions, he stated.
The most satisfactory issue is that the Ukrainian Diaspora in Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani Diaspora in Ukraine have been integrated into the society and feel comfortable, which is a positive factor, Azerbaijani President stressed.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on September 6 received credentials of Ion Robun, Moldovas newly appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Azerbaijan.
Ambassador presented the credentials to President Ilham Aliyev.
President Ilham Aliyev, in his turn, asked ambassador to convey his greetings to President Vladimir Voronin. Azerbaijani leader said that the activity of both embassies strengthen the Azerbaijan-Moldova bilateral relations.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev September 5 received a group of participants of the enlarged meeting of the International Council of Russian Compatriots underway in Baku. We have a number of purely Russian-language schools, and over 300 ones, in which there are classes given in Russian. Departments offering courses inn Russian are in all of our state-owned higher educational institutions. The relations Russia and Azerbaijan have had since 2000 are what both Presidents characterize as a strategic partnership.
Chairman of the Russian community of Azerbaijan, MP Zabelin thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the support in holding the enlarged meeting of the International Council of Russian Compatriots.
Chairman of the Board of the Council, Count Sheremetyev expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani leader for the hospitality noting it was for the first time that the Council has gathered outside Russia.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev met with Turkish Prime Minister Rajab Tayyib Erdogan. The meeting, Trend reports, was held September 3 in Dolmabakhcha Palace in Istanbul.
At the meeting the parties discussed cooperation between the countries. They especially mentioned the successful development of mutual relations that boost the stability in the region.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated to the opening ceremony of headquarters of the Youth Forum of the Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC) in Istanbul on last weekend that We should explain to the world that Islam is religion of peace. In this context the youth organizations, particularly, the Youth Forum of the OIC Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation assume special importance, Trend report citing the Turkish media.
Even 1.5 months ago we participated in the opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export oil pipeline and today we are opening the youth forum of the OIC. I am glad to be in the Turkic land again, the President stressed.
The Azerbaijani President also noted the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has become a victim of terror. As a result of ethnic cleansing policy conducted by Armenia over 1 million people have become refugees and IDPs, 20% of Azerbaijani territory is under the Armenian occupation, the head of state underlined.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev ordered to replace the head of executive power of Ismaillah area, reports Trend.
In his order head of state dismissed former head of executive power of the area Rovshan Sadykhov and in another appointed Nizami Alekperov new head of executive power of the area.
Azerbaijani President dismissed Consul general in Istanbul, Turkey and Azeri permanent representative to Black Sea Co-operation Organization Ibrahim Nabi oglu Yagubov.
On September 4, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order perpetuating the memory of popular Azerbaijani journalist Nasir Imanguliyev, trend reports.
In the order, Baku City Executive Power was tasked to ensure installation of the memory plank in the building where Imanguliyev lived.
The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dismissed Ogtay Abbasov from his position of head of the Astara District Executive Power.
The President appointed Mahir Guliyev to the same position.
Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict
On Thursday (7 September) the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution with consensus (without vote) "The situation in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan submitted by the Azerbaijani delegation
The Assembly voiced its concerns on the fires in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan and called for the urgent ecological operations to extinguish them and prevent fatalities. The General Assembly took into consideration the OSCEs intention to send a mission to the region to estimate the impact of the fire to the environment in preparation of an ecological operation. It welcomed the willingness of both sides to co-operate in this respect and called such an operation a measure of confidence consolidation.
The General Assembly called on the UN Environment Program to render assistance with the OSCE, as well as in estimating the short- and long-term results of the environment in the region and resistance to them and their rehabilitation. It asked the OSCE Chairman-in-office to present to the UN Member of States a report on the issue up to 30 April 2007.
In his address on behalf of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, a U.S. representative, Alexandro Woolf, underlined that Russia, France and the United States are still loyal to the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "In this respect we seriously regard the concern voiced by both the two conflict on threats to the stability and security of the region, which pose new obstacles in the negotiations process, the U.S. diplomat underlined. He voiced their Minsk Group co-chairs readiness, together with the special envoy of the OSCE Chairman-in-office, to render assistance in the organization of the OSCE mission with the support of UNEP.
Russia, France and the United States hope that the goodwill spirit demonstrated by Armenia and Azerbaijan during the work over the resolution testifies the readiness of both sides to take additional measures to consolidate matters, which would support the talks, Woolf underlined. He reminded that over the past 2 years the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs carried out intensive work with Armenia and Azerbaijan over the definition of major principles of the agreement which would lead to fair and durable resolutions". The July Summit of G8 held in St. Petersburg called on the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to take these principles as a basis for the resolution of the conflict. "Today we again appeal strongly and state the Governments readiness in rendering its full support to the achievement and implementation of the peace agreement, the U.S. diplomat stated.
We have co-ordinated a draft resolution. I think it will be an adopted consensus, without vote. I was informed that the document was being approved and all 191 member-states, including Armenia are adopting it, Trend reports quoting Foreign Minister Mammadyarov. He was commenting on the adoption of a resolution on fires in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan by the UN General Assembly.
The issue was put forward as an ecological catastrophe. The Chairman of the OSCE will organize missions to these areas, he stated.
Mr. Mamadyarov said that a special mission will be sent to the areas to familiarize themselves with the situation. The Azerbaijani and Armenian experts will then participate in the mission, together with the international experts. Also included will be representatives of the UN ecological program, OSCE representatives, and possibly, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs. After the situation has been estimated and measures to be taken clarified, a mission will be sent out to consider the rehabilitation and erosion, the Minister stated. These issues have been included in the Resolution.
After the completion of the process the OSCE Chairman is to present a final report to the UN General Assembly, the Foreign Minister emphasized.
Official Baku is satisfied with UNs upholding Azerbaijans initiatives and passing the resolution Situation on occupied Azeri grounds, said Tahir Tagizeh, Chief of press and information, Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan.
With respect to the issue importance, he said, Azeri government has established an interdepartmental commission to implement this resolution. Its first session will be held today with participation of heads of ministries and state departments of the country. В"We are concerned not only in the resolution passing, but also in specific measures to prevent these fires turning into an environmental disaster at the regional scale. Therefore we are now taking specific steps to implement the resolutionВ", said Tagizadeh, adding the resolution underlines the necessity in the international assistance to the countries of the region for prevention of fires spreading.
Azerbaijan intends to receive support from the OIC member-countries (Organization of Islamic Conference) in delivering the realities about Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to the world public, head of the Social-Political Department of Azerbaijan Presidents Executive Office Ali Hasanov exclusively told Trend, commenting on his 13-14 September visit to Saudi Arabia where the seventh meeting of the ministers of information and press of OIC countries will be held.
According to Hasanov, the text of the declaration and resolution that will be passed as a result of the session is planned to be included clauses concerning Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The confirmed declaration will be base for the action plan of each minister of information and press of OIC countries.
Hasanov added that the session is held each three years. The meetings focus on the coordination of information and press policy of OIC countries. During the next meeting, the ministers are going to discuss details of concentrating the efforts in the process of propaganda of Islamic world, preventing the terrorism against Islam, as well as resolving the problems of Islamic countries.
Touching on the mechanism of applying these efforts, Hasanov stressed that as state press bodies are functioning in many of OIC countries, this activity will be carried out exactly by them in these countries. And in the countries that have selected democratic way of development, including Azerbaijan, this activity will be realized by state and independent media.
Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu made a note to the Foreign Ministry of Russian Federation, head of the information and press department of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Tahir Tagizade told Trend.
According to him, the note reflects concern and disagreement of Azerbaijan side with the fact that on September 2, the 15th anniversary of the independence of the unrecognized separatist regime in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan was broadcasted in Vesti program of Rossiya TV channel.
It in stated in the note that its demonstration with the state television is contrary to the signed bilateral agreements, doesnt correspond with the principles of neutrality of co-chairmanship of Russia in OSCE Minsk Group and brings harms to the relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. Taking into consideration the seriousness of the problem, it was required to take relevant measures for preventing such facts.
On September 12, Armenian Foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan is meeting with OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen in Paris. The Azeri Foreign Minister is then meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen on September 13 in London, Trend reports quoting Elmar Mamedyarov, Azeri Foreign Minister.
Mamedyarov said it is not necessary to meet with Armenian counterpart. В"First, we should meet with the Co-Chairmen and discuss ideasВ", he outlined.
Speaking on new proposals on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Mamedyarov said the work with the Co-Chairmen would go on as usual.
В"We will try to work out the basic principles and I am very concerned with the Co-Chairmens opinions, their proposals and how to compromise on this issueВ", he added.
In his exclusive interview with Trend special representative of the Council of Europe Secretary General to Azerbaijan, Mr Denis Bribosia in reply to question on the CEs plan on participation in the processes linked with the fire in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan said, It would be more expedient to simplify many issues father complicate. At present there is no necessity to include all organizations in the issue. It might be received with some resistance. Therefore, the OSCE is responsible for processing the issue. There is no reason for the CE to interfere with the process. However, the Ad Hoc Committee on Nagorno-Karabakh will hold a meeting during the PACE session in October, but as far as I know, some MPs are going to put forward the issue.
Foreign policy
Zakir Hashimov, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Turkey, told Trend that Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev may participate in a summit of Turkic speaking countries which is to take place in the Turkish resort city of Antalia on 17 November.
The diplomat noted that the agenda of the visit is still to be confirmed. Along with the Azerbaijani leader, the heads of state of Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan are also expected to attend.
The first meeting of the Heads of State of Turkic speaking countries was held in the capital Ankara on 30-31 October 1992. Initiated by the then Turkish President Turgut Ozal, the summit was the first direct contact amongst the Turkic speaking countries on a high level. Later the Turkic leader met in Istanbul in 1994, Tashkent in 1996 and Astana in 1998. The last high official meeting was held in Baku on 8 April 2000 which witnessed the implementation of the Baku Declaration.
In 2007, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and French President Jacques Chirac will exchange official visits, Trend reports with reference to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan.
In keeping with the close ties between Azerbaijan and France, the Azeri President is making his official visit to France in January 2007 at Chiracs invitation, the message said. In turn, Mr Chirac will make an official visit to Azerbaijan during the first quarter of 2007.
The next meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) is planned to be held in New York on September 24, permanent representative of Azerbaijan in the organization Sabuhi Temirov exclusively told Trend.
Foreign ministers of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova Gela Bejuashivli, Boris Tarasyuk, Elmar Mammadyarov and Nikolae will fly down in the United States to participate at the meeting. The meeting will be held within the framework of participation at the next session of UNO, he underlined.
According to the diplomat, the agenda of the meeting will be agreed at the next meeting of the Committee of National Coordinators of GUAM scheduled for 14-15 September in Kiev.
Israel would be pleased if Azerbaijan decides to dispatch its peacemakers to the conflict region, Trend reports quoting Artur Lenk, Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan.
This decision depends on Azeri government, he said. В"I think Azerbaijan, as well as the entire global community, is interested in peace and stability in the regionВ", he added.
Ambassador said Azerbaijan has a big experience in peacemaking operations as Azeri troops took part in operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo. В"Since Israel has good relations with Azerbaijan, it would be satisfied if Azerbaijan dispatches its troops thereВ", he pointed.
Diplomat also said the presence of representatives of such influencing in Moslem world countries as Turkey and Azerbaijan would be a good message to the entire global community.
At present there is a great need for such exhibitions amid the manifestations of xenophobia, racial hatred, negative attitude towards the visitors. They are necessary for respectful treatment and better understating among the nationalities, Polad Bulbuloglu, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia, the General Director of Turksoy organization, stated to the opening of ethno-art festival of Nomadic News. Khabar held at the Moscow House of Nationalities as an honorary guest.
The diplomat thanked Moscows authorities, as well as the Directorate of the House of Nationalities for offering necessary facilities for the implementation of the project and underlined the intensive culture exchange among the representatives of different nationalities, demonstration of the national possessions and history is the best way to know each other, peace, agreement, proximity and mutual understating.
The signing of the Action Plan within the European Neighborhood Policy is expected by the end of this year, Trend reports Volfgang Shporrer, European House Coordinator to Azerbaijan.
Mr Shporrer said the document details were being discussed at the moment. Upon signing the Action Plan the EU is increasing funds issued to Azerbaijan in 2007.
He said this year TACIS program is completing its work in CIS countries, including Azerbaijan, and the new co-operation program is launched. It will not be TACIS continuation or backup. The new program includes new projects, and funding of Azerbaijan will be increased within this program.
Mr Shporrer outlined that in 2006 Azerbaijan was issued 22mln Euro within TACIS program. These funds were issued to Azerbaijan alone and had nothing to do with regional projects.
Ukraine considers Azerbaijan an important strategic partner and we are going to extend and improve the existing mutual relations with your Country, Ukrainian President Victor Yutshchenko said in his exclusive interview with Trend. The basis for Ukrainian-Azeri partnerships is formed by mutual interests of both the countries and their favorable geostrategic location. This, in turn, opens up prospects for the creation of mutual transport corridors, firstly those related to energy
Furthermore, at present we have huge opportunities for the extension of mutually profitable co-operation in aircraft construction, transport, building construction, agriculture, SMB and other fields. We also have unused capacity for increasing the export of oil and oil products, as well as oil industry equipment, chemical and petrochemical production from Azerbaijan to Ukraine. In turn, Ukraine may deliver food and pharmacological production, engineering facilities, metallurgic and agricultural production to Azerbaijan.
Touching upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict the president stated that Ukraine pays much attention to the settlement of conflicts in GUAM member-countries, including Azerbaijan.
Ukraines position on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, apart from its policy of non-intervention in internal affairs of other states, remains all the same: we always advocated its immediate settlement on the basis of universal norms and principles of international legislation, as well as sovereignty and territorial integrity and inviolability of universally recognized frontiers of states and adherence to the related resolutions of UN Security council and OSCE decisions.
Co-reporters of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for Azerbaijan Andreas Herkel and Toni Lloyd will make a visit to Azerbaijan from 30 October to 3 November, the special representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in Azerbaijan Denis Bribosia exclusively told Trend.
He said that during the visit meetings will be held with the representatives of Azerbaijan government, civil society, as well as journalists. Bribosia added that the visit aims to inform the Parliamentary Assembly about the events taken place in Azerbaijan over the recent period. The co-reporters will prepare a report to submit to PACE.
Bribosia considers that it assumes a great importance because it reflects the opinion of European parliamentarians of how Azerbaijan fulfils its obligations before the Council of Europe.
Political Life
Azer Sariyev, the spokesman for the Central Elections Commission, told Trend that 4,270 local observers have been registered at the constituency elections commissions for the observation of re-run, by-, new and additional municipal elections which will be held in Azerbaijan on 6 October 2006.
2,131 observers were nominated by the political parties, while 2,039 will conduct monitoring on their own initiative.
4,587 candidates participate in the municipal elections. So far 40 candidates recalled their candidacies.
A meeting the CEC adopted on 5 September a protocols and included some changes into composition of the constituency elections commissions.
The Ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) held a regional meeting in Lankaran, south Azerbaijan, in connection with the re-run, additional and new municipal elections with the participation of the Chairmen of Regional Organizations from Hajigabul, Neftchala, Jalilabad, Masally, Lankaran, Astara, Lerik and Yardimly, Trend reports.
The Chairman of the Lankaran District Branch of the ruling party, Ilgar Dadashov, informed the meeting that the municipal elections are one more test for political religious branches.
Addressing the meeting, MP Mubariz Gurbanly, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the NAP, noted that major preparations are being made for the re-run, additional and new municipal elections, which is scheduled for 6 October 2006. Hadi Rajabli, Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Commission on socio-political issues, stressed that voters who nominated their candidates at the elections should be aware of the problems in their regions.
During the meeting of the Assembly of Musavat Party on September 30, there will be elected the head of the structure, as well as two members of Divan and heads of several meetings, deputy chairman of Musavat Arif Hajili told Trend.
It should be mentioned that first deputy chairman of the party Vurgun Eyyub and deputy chairman Sulhaddin Akbar nominated their candidatures for the post of chairman of the Assembly. During the meeting of the Assembly on July 10, none of the candidates collected enough votes.
Hajili stressed that this time the elections will be held with alternative rule. The process of nominating candidature will last from 15 to 25 September, he added.
According to Hajili, it is possible that during the meeting of the Assembly, the leader of the party Isa Gambar will appoint three more deputy chairmen. After their appointment, the Assembly will confirm their authorities, Hajili emphasized.
Next week, the Coordination Center of the opposition will restore its activity after summer holiday, co-founder of the Center, chairman of Umid Party, MP Igbal Agazade told Trend.
The Coordination Center of opposition that bring together several pro-oppositional parties was had left for summer holiday. According to Agazade, On September 12 the working group will come together and define the questions that will be discussed at the meeting of the Council of Chairmen of the Center.
Moreover, Agazade stressed that 4-5 pro-oppositional parties applied them for joining the Center. The Council will discuss these appeals.
On September 6 the Council of Chairmen of the political bloc Azadlig hold an extended sitting with the participation of representatives of the press and NGOs, Sardar Jalaloghli, first Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan Democratic, and one of the founders of party told Trend.
He pointed out that during the sitting, issues of independent press, as well as facts of pressure on journalists were discussed. A number of decisions were taken in this respect.
The political blocs founders decided to gather on September 8, and discuss concrete measures. Bloc Azadlig will prepare booklets about journalists killed, as well as those who have suffered a pressure, and appeal to international organizations concerning such kind of pressure on the freedom of a word. Decisions relating these and other issues are expected to be taken within a week.
Notably, the political bloc Azadlig consists of four parties: The Party of Peoples Front of Azerbaijan, Party of Citizens and Development, Azerbaijan Democratic Party, and the Liberal Party of Azerbaijan.
Musavat party appealed on 7 September 2006 to the Baku Mayoral Office with request to sanction its rally, Trend reports.
The party plans to hold a rally from 20 January subway sttai to Galaba square on 23 September from 16.00 to 19.00. The organizers ask for provision of necessary securuty condutios during the action which will sound placards No corruption, No Employment.
Asim Mollazadeh, Chairman of Democratic Reforms Party, met with Ukrainian President Victor Yushenko, which is now in Azerbaijan with a visit. Officials of the Party told Trend the meeting was held after Yushnkos visit to Baku Slavic university.
At the meeting Asim Mollazadeh thanked Yushenko for Ukraines position in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He said that Organization for democracy and economic development GUAM is a very important structure in the business of strengthening cooperation between the countries that are members of this organization and nations of these countries. The partys chairman also underlined that Yushenkos thought of democracy and freedom of word in Azerbaijan are met with sympathy. Mollazadeh said these notions are playing key role in development of our state and welfare of our people.
Asim Mollazadeh also informed Yushenko of the Democratic reforms Party. He said DRP is a party that forms a basis on European democratic values and advocates integration with the Euro-Atlantic space.
In turn, Yushenko said GUAM plays an important role in developing co-operation between our countries and nations, as well as implementation of joint projects. He added he was concerned in this organization expansion and progressing. Stating GUAMs Kiev headquarters readiness for operation, Yushenko underlined the necessity in regular meetings among the union members. Ukrainian President said he considers GUAM divisions creation necessary, in particular GUAM Parliamentary Assembly.