From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Thu Aug 30 2001 - 11:23:31 EDT
CASPIAN NEWS AGENCY
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=932
/18:51 30.08.2001/ Internet users from Azerbaijan, US and Russia - are most active
participants of preliminary stage of online press-conference of Armenian President
Moscow, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Internet users from Azerbaijan, US and Russia - are
the most active participants of preliminary stage of online press-conference of the
Armenian President Robert Kocharian, which is to be organized by GazetaSNG.ru news
and analyses channel, on September 7, 2001. Readers from those three countries have
already addressed to the President Kocharian preliminary questions. CNA was
informed from editorial staff of GazetaSNG.tu that the deadline for sending
questions to the President Kocharian is September 4. The questions can be sent to
asksng@df.ru, or at www.gazetasng.ru.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=931
/18:26 30.08.2001/ US to render Georgia USD 90 million aid
Tbilisi, August 30, 2001. (CNA). The US intend to carry out in Georgia assistance
program for USD 90 million in 2002.
During the meeting with Georgian President Edward Shevardnadze the official from
the US State Department William Tailor said that the US Congress works on this
issue, and the decision will be published in a month.
The sum foreseen by the program should be used in priority spheres, including
agriculture and state border protection, Tailor mentioned.
He appraised the results of the meeting with Georgian President, during which many
important problems connected with deepening bilateral relations between the two
countries and with political-economic situation were discussed.
Prime News informs that the program of rendering the humanitarian aid in the health
protection sphere totaling USD 18 million is being held since the beginning of
Tailor’s visit to Georgia. Within the frames of this program medical
equipment and medicines in 158 containers were distributed among hospitals and
clinics in Georgia.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=930
/17:48 30.08.2001/ Co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group for Karabakh will visit conflict
region
Baku, August 30, 2001. (CNA). The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group for Karabakh
intend to pay regular visit to the conflict region in the first half of October.
CNA was informed in the press office of Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan that under
the preliminary data in early September the U.S., French and Russian mediators will
hold in Vienna joint consultations with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. The French and
Russian diplomats intend to present to their new U.S. colleague Rudolf Perina
detailed information on the course of conflict settlement.
It is noteworthy, that before being appointed as U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group Rudolf Perrina was taking the post of U.S. Ambassador to Moldova. From 1974
he worked in U.S. diplomatic representations in Canada, Russia, Germany, Belgium
and Yugoslavia. In 1987-1989 he was heading the post of director of the U.S.
National Security Council for Europe and NIS.
From 1996-1997 Ambassador Perrina was the Advisor of the U.S. Secretary of State
for Europe and Canada. Speaks Russian, French, German, Romanian and Czech
languages.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=929
/17:20 30.08.2001/ Bashkir President to visit Azerbaijan in autumn
Baku, August 30, 2001. (CNA). The President of Bashkir Republic (Bashkortostan)
Murtaza Rakhimov intends to visit Baku in autumn 2001.
Azeri government informed CNA that signing the bilateral agreement On
trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation is planed during the
meeting. The date of the meeting will be defined through the diplomatic channels.
This agreement foresees expansion of trade relations, cooperation of industrial
enterprises, cooperation in transport sphere and establishing joint ventures.
The visit of Bashkir President was planned for last fall, but unfortunately was
delayed because of sickness of the Azeri leader.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=928
/16:52 30.08.2001/ Turkish Energy Minister to take part in symbolic Baku-Ceyhan
ceremony
Ankara, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Energy Minister Zeki Cakan will take part in a
ceremony to be organized in Ceyhan on September 2, for the transportation of one
symbolic barrel of petroleum through the route of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Turkish
Daily News reports.
A ceremony held for the same reason was organized last year under the leadership of
American journalist Thomas Goltz and a group of volunteers riding motorbikes who
brought one barrel of petroleum from Baku to Ceyhan.
The activity, which has been organized for the second time, started this year on
August 23 when a group of 20 volunteers with motorbikes took one barrel of
petroleum from Baku, which represents Caspian oil.
A written statement released by the Energy Ministry said that the group would reach
Erzurum, passing through the Turkozu border gate, in time to take part in the
celebrations organized for the August 30, Victory Day. A barrel of natural gas,
which is also being carried by the group, will be given to officials in Erzurum.
The group will later on follow the Erzincan-Sivas-Kayseri-Adana route and reach the
facilities of the Turkish Pipeline Company (BOTAS) in Ceyhan on September 2.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=927
/16:46 30.08.2001/ EBRD possibly to finance construction of Olia Port on Caspian
Sea
Moscow, August 30, 2001. (CNA). The European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) will solve the issue on possible crediting of 20 projects of the
Russian Transport Ministry for the total cost at USD 1 billion. Port Olia in
Astrakhan region of the Caspian Sea is included into the projects.
In fact, in early August the Russian Ministry of Transport and Finance applied to
EBRD for financing construction of the first phase of Olia Port. The cost of the
project id USD 95 million of which USD 42 million are to be received by the
Transport Ministry from ENRD. The construction of the port is to be completed in 36
month. The project will be repaid in seven months. The Deputy Transport Minister
Boris Novoseltsev informed CNA that the Ministry is obliged to repay the credit
within 9 years from the funds, received as a result of exploitation of the port.
The project capacity of Olia Port foresees annual handling of 8 million tons of
freights and about 6 million tons of railway carriages and containers.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=926
/16:11 30.08.2001/ Former activist of Musavat party sentenced to 9-year
imprisonment in Azerbaijan
Baku, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Former activist of Musavat party Mekhti Guseinli was
sentenced by Azeri court to 9-year imprisonment for hijacking attempt.
The CNA reporter informs from Baku that August 22, 2000 Guseinly demanded from the
crew of TU-154 plane doing Nakhichevan-Baku flight to fly to Istanbul, where he
allegedly intended to visit former Azeri President Abulphaz Elchibey, undergoing
course of medical treatment in Turkey.
The hijacker made some chaotic demands of political character. Besides, the
terrorist threatened the pilots with firing the bottle of kerosene.
Guseinly was rendered harmless by officers of the Ministry of National Security,
who occasionally were on the board of the same plane.
The court refused to qualify actions of the hijacker as political protest and
charged defendant with terrorism.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=925
/16:00 30.08.2001/ Spanish King landed in Alma-Ata
Astana, August 30, 2001. (CNA). The King of Spain Juan Carlos I came to Alma-Ata
with a private visit on the personal invitation of the Kazakh President Nursultan
Nazarbayev, presidential press service informed.
"I came to Kazakhstan on the invitation of my friend, President Nursultan
Nazarbayev to pay once again my respect to the people of your country and to stress
high and trusty level of Spanish-Kazakh relations," the honorary guest said at the
airport.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=924
/15:57 30.08.2001/ Azeri Finance Minister to take part in annual session of IMF and
WB
Baku, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Azeri Finance Minister Avez Alekperov intends to
participate in the 56th annual session of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and
World Bank (WB), which is to take place in Washington D.C. at the end of September.
An official from the Finance Ministry informed CNA that during the session reports
of states-members of IMF and international financial organizations are to be
listened to.
Besides, October 1-2 Alekperov will co-chair the fourth regular session of
Azeri-American working group for economic cooperation. The session will be held in
the U.S. capital by the initiative of the other co-chairman of the group - the U.S.
State Department's coordinator for the Newly Independent States, William Tailor.
The problems connected with the upcoming membership of Azerbaijan into the World
Trade Organization and discussion of the list of Azeri enterprises requiring
investments from foreign private companies are put into the agenda of the session.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=923
/14:25 30.08.2001/ Kyrgyzstan - "outpost" of Central Asia
Bishkek, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Kyrgyzstan is one of leaders of organization of
CIS collective forces of Rapid Reaction in the Central Asian region, the Secretary
of the Security Council of Russia Vladimir Rushaylo told Wednesday to journalists
after negotiating with President Askar Akayev. According to Rushaylo, Kyrgyzstan
plays the leading role in preparation of places of disbanding Collective Forces and
undertakes functions on organization of activity of the Forces.
"The state appears to be a outpost of the Central Asia for its active opposition to
religious extremism, international terrorism and separatism," Rushaylo underlined.
According to him, during the talks the participants highlighted a number of tasks
on developing cooperation of military and industrial complex and power wielding
bodies of Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Rushaylo stressed that "Russia renders Kyrgyzstan
necessary military and technical assistance and will continue doing it in the
future."
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=922
/13:54 30.08.2001/ Iran and Russia for observation of consensus principle on
Caspian Sea
Tehran, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Special Russian Envoy on Caspian Sea Affairs Viktor
Kalyuzhny and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Euro-American Affairs Ali Ahani
here Wednesday exchanged views on the legal regime of the Caspian Sea and ways of
achieve a logical solution by the five Caspian Sea littoral states, IRNA.
They stressed the need for observing the principle of consensus and mutual respect
among Caspian Sea littoral states, accelerating the compilation of the Caspian Sea
legal regime and preparing the ground for exploitation of the sea's reserves.
Ahani and Kalyuzhny welcomed the strategy of talks at the deputy foreign ministers
level and also holding the 5th such meeting in Astaneh, Kazakhstan.
They also voiced support for the summit of the Caspian Sea littoral states and
stressed the need to arrange the preliminaries to attain clear-cut results.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=921
/13:52 30.08.2001/ OSCE observers to monitor contact line between Armenian and
Azeri Armed Forces
Baku, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Under the mandate of the Permanent Representative of
the OSCE Chairman-in-Office a monitoring of the cease-fire regime will be conducted
on August 31 along the contact line of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
CNA was informed in the press office of Defence Ministry of Azerbaijan that field
assistants of the Personal Representative will take part in monitoring from the
Azeri side.
The Personbal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE Minis Group Amb.
Andrzej Kasprzyk and his assistants will head the monitoring along the Armenian
borders. The monitoring will cover the contact line in Jafarly populated area of
Gazakh region. According to the Azeri military officials, violations of cease fire
regime were often registered in this area over the past three months.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=920
/13:32 30.08.2001/ Road junction put into operation in main highway of Uzbekistan
Tashkent, August 30, 2001. (CNA). A bridge was put into operation at 705 km of
Nukus-Bakhara-Karshi-Guzor road, which connects two southern regions of Uzbekistan
with Karakalpakia. Construction of 3-km bridge costs more than 1.5 billion sums
(USD 3.6 million).
The head of the road-building company Kurbon Panjiyev informed CNA that the
construction of the road junction was caused by constantly increasing
transportation either by highway or by Karshi-Kagan railway. Thanks to the road
junction, the heavy traffic and overloaded freight turnover at the narrowest part
of the highway at the 705-km point, will be eliminated.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=919
/12:58 30.08.2001/ Georgia insists on international control over Gudauta base
Tbilisi, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Georgia insists on controlling the process of
disbanding the Russian military bases in Gudauta.
The Georgia Foreign Minister Irakliy Menagarishvili informed Prime News that in the
near future Tbilisi will have reaction of Russia on proposal to provide
transparency during disbanding and invite international observers to Gudauta.
Under the decision made at the OSCE summit in Istanbul, the base was to be
liquidated until July 1, however, the process have been dragging out because of
protests of the Abkhaz population. At least, this is the very reason the Russian
side forwards.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=917
/12:38 30.08.2001/ Asian Bank for Development invested more than USD 2 million into
educational system of Tajikistan
Dushanbe, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Asian Bank for Development (ABD) expended more
than USD 2 million on restoration of educational system of Tajikistan. This sum was
directed to the program on rehabilitation of schools of Tajikistan's Khatlon
region.
ABD project implementation center in Khatlon region informed that for three years
USD 2,250 thousand were spent on repair works and equipping educational
institutions. More than one million was aimed at health protection. USD 345,000
were allotted for training teachers and people working at the medical sphere.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=915
/12:32 30.08.2001/ Azeri and Georgian defence ministers arrived in Astrakhan
Moscow, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Azeri Defence Minister colonel-general Saphar
Abiyev and his Georgian counterpart David Tevzadze arrived in Astrakhan on
invitation of the Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov to observe the main stage
of coalition tactic exercises with shootings of Anti-Aricraft forces of five CIS
states "Military union 2001". The exercises will take place at Ashuluk ground of
Astrakhan region.
Along with the Georgian and Azeri defence ministers their counterparts from Armenia
- Serzh Sargssyan, Kazakhstan - Sat Tokpakbayev, Ukraine - Alexander Kuzmuk, as
well as head of staff for coordination of military cooperation in CIS Vladimir
Yakovlev, arrived in Astrakhan for exercises.
CNA was informed in the Defence Ministry of Azerbaijna that after the shootings in
Ashuluk the Minister Abiyev will meet with Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov.
It is expected that the sides will discuss military aspects of joint exploitation
of one of ten radiolocation stations in Gabalinsk region of Azerbaijan, which
earlier belonged to the USSR Defence Ministry.
According to CNA the Russian side insist on long-term rent of this strategic site.
It is noteworthy, that Azerbaijan adheres to a principle position, refusing to
participate in a united system of CIS Anti-Aircraft forces.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=914
/12:27 30.08.2001/ Iran's Foreign Minister reviews Caspian Sea issues with Russian
envoy
Tehran, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Foreign Minister of Iran Kamal Kharrazi and
Russia's Special Envoy on Caspian Sea Affairs Viktor Kalyuzhny on Wednesday held
talks on the latest developments in the Caspian Sea, IRNA reports.
Kalyuzhny said that Iran is the strategic ally of the Russian Federation and called
for continued consultations between the two countries. He said that Iran has
special status in the region adding that Iran has important role to play on issues
relating to the Caspian Sea. The Russian envoy on Caspian Sea affairs said that the
issues concerning the Caspian Sea should be settled by the five littoral states
adding that no other country has the right to interfere in the Caspian issues.
Kalyuzhny said that the U.S. and Turkey are looking for pretext to interfere with
the affairs of the Caspian Sea adding that Russia is against presence of any
external forces in the Caspian Sea. He emphasized the need for greater efforts by
the Caspian States to reach an agreement on safeguarding the environment, natural
resources and ecology of the inland sea.
Kalyuzhny conveyed felicitation of Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to Kharrazi
on his reappointment to the post of foreign minister.
Kharrazi said that the Caspian Sea is the sea of peace and friendship adding that
the Caspian States are required to reach consensus on the legal regime of the sea
through dialogue.
He called for avoiding any action that may cause tension and said that the Caspian
states should refrain from any action that may cause misunderstanding and further
complicate the legal issues concerning the Caspian Sea.
Kharrazi said that the 1921 and 1940 treaties between Iran and the former Soviet
Union have formed the foundation of the legal regime of the Caspian Sea and the
Caspian States are required to reach an agreement to complete the treaties. He
welcomed continued consultations and the growing relations between Iran and the
Russian Federation and said, "Iran expects Russia to adopt explicit and clarified
stance toward the Caspian Sea to encourage cooperation among the littoral states in
order to keep the Caspian Sea as the sea of peace and friendship.
Kharrazi said that the Caspian States should exercise vigilance and not allow any
third countries to interfere with the Caspian Sea issues.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=912
/11:42 30.08.2001/ Construction of plant producing polyethylene pipes proceeded in
Kazakhstan
Astana, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Solemn ceremony of laying of basis for the first in
Kazakhstan Chevron company plant, which produce polyethylene pipes took place
August 29 in Atirau.
Press service of Chevron company informed CNA that polyethylene pipes would be used
in various spheres: water-supply, sewerage system, gas-distributing system,
irrigation and telecommunication.
Primary production capacity of the plant, which construction is to take about 20
months, will be 7,000 tons a year.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=907
/11:37 30.08.2001/ Kazakhstan to develop 3 sea ports on Caspian Sea
Astana, August 30, 2001. (CNA). Administration of Mangistau region of Kazakhstan
took a decision on developing of three frost-resisting seaports on the Caspian Sea
- Aktau, Bautino and Kuryk.
On the press conference the head of Mangistau region Lyazzat Kiinov informed
journalists that exploration of gas and oil fields on the Caspian Sea can entail
the necessity of transportation of huge volume of loads and consequently
construction of two more sea ports in addition to existing one - Aktau. For these
purposes two natural bays - Bautino (near Fort-Shevchenko town) and Kuryk (76 km to
the south from Aktau) are targeted.
Bautino bay, in contrast to Aktau, is already developed, besides sea
transportations are carried out there.
The head of regional administration called Aktau port the main one in Kazakhstan
and expressed assurance that it could handle the largest volume of dry and friable
loads, continue participating in operating and perspective routes of cargo
transportation and transport oil. Bautino port is planed to be developed as the
principal port for oil conveyance and Kuryk port - for friable loads’
transportation. The base of Kazakhstan’s Naval Forces on the Caspian Sea is
supposed to be stationed in Kuryk port.
The administration of Mangistau region intends to attract foreign investments for
these purposes.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=906
|
