From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Thu Nov 15 2001 - 09:40:40 EST
AZERBAIJAN
A WEEKLY ANALYTICAL-INFORMATION BULLETIN
No: 42 (296), November 15 2001
http://www.andf-az.org/news.html
AZERBAIJAN NATIONAL DEMOCRACY FOUNDATION
Web: http://www.andf-az.org/ e-mail: andf@ulvi.baku.az
Project titled "Support for Monitoring of Civil Society Development"
Editor: Ulvi HAKIMOV
Translator: Ruhiyya JAMILLI
Authors: Farhad MAMMADOV, Mustafa HAJIBEYLI
#1.NEW SANCTION ON INDEPENDENT PRESS IN AZERBAIJAN
Private media publication companies are oppressed, but the government-run companies
are instructed to sell only pro-government newspapers.
By Farhad MAMMADOV
#2.AZERBAIJAN IS TAKING ACTIVE PART IN THE ANTI-TERROR OPERATIONS
There are investigated whether the organizations and individuals suspected in
partnership with terrorism have accounts at the Azerbaijani banks or not.
By Mustafa HAJIBEYLI
#3.RUSSIA IS NOT GOING TO JOIN TO "BAKU-CEYHAN"
The government delegation headed by the Russian deputy Prime Minister Victor
Kristenco has come to Baku.
#4."NATO'S TRAININGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR AZERBAIJAN"
The chairman of the Azerbaijan's Milli Mejlis Murtuz Alaskerov has invited the
chairman of the NATO 's Parliamentary Assembly Rafael Esterello to Baku.
#5.THE HIDDEN SIDE OF PUTIN-BUSH TALKS
Sulhaddin Akbar: "Russia has lost its interests in the Caucasus".
#6.ADDITIONAL ELECTIONS TO MILLI MEJLIS TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 16
Who will be elected to the parliament from Agjabedi and Tovuz districts?
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#1.NEW SANCTION ON INDEPENDENT PRESS IN AZERBAIJAN
By Farhad MAMMADOV
Private media publication companies are oppressed, but the government-run companies
are instructed to sell only pro-government newspapers.
The Azerbaijani government has begun administering the next sanctions in order to
oppress the independent and pro-opposition media outlets. For several days that the
news-stalls belonging to the independent "Gaya" company that deals with the
distribution of newspapers and magazines are taken massively away from Baku city.
While the government authorities of the city explain it with the "cleansing works",
there exist evidences on having, in fact, political reasons behind the pressures on
the "Gaya" company. The question is that "Gaya" company having been dealing with
the publication activities for nearly 8 years is considered the key company
distributing the independent and pro-opposition outlets. It has caused the
dissatisfaction of the government and the President's executive office has,
non-officially, instructed the Baku's leadership on taking all the news-stalls of
the company away from the city, according to several news. And the government
representatives have accused the president of the company in "funding the
opposition by selling the pro-opposition outlets".
It is notable that the publication company facing with the pressures of the
government authorities is not only the "Gaya" and two independent publication
companies had to stop their activity because of their news-stalls have been taken
away. At the moment, virtually the companies being under the state control are
dealing with the publication work. But they have also been instructed on using a
special sanction against the pro-government newspapers. In the letter of the
Ministry of Communication addressed to such companies is stated that only the
pro-government newspapers should be on the galls-cases at the news-stalls belonging
to them. The Ministries instruction as already realized and the pro-opposition
newspapers are not, in fact, seen at the news-stalls of the publication companies
controlled by the government. The journalists' organizations and newspaper editors
of Azerbaijan have conducted a joint meeting and estimated oppression of the
private publication companies as "an indirect pressure on the press". The editors
of the "Azadlig", "Yeni Musavat", "Huriyyat", and other mostly selling newspapers
have stated that oppressing the "Gaya" company has seriously influenced on the
selling of their newspapers. The economic condition of the independent press is
worse in enough as it is in Azerbaijan and as a result of new sanctions of the
government authorities most of the newspapers may have to be closed.
It is notable that using of the economic sanctions against the independent press by
the Azerbaijani government besides of the court intimidations is not a new one.
Last year, the State Customs Committee created artificial obstacles on the import
of newsprint to the country and as a result, the price of newsprint increased more
than twice for a short period. And it caused facing the independent newspapers with
serious economic crisis.
<=Back
#2.AZERBAIJAN IS TAKING ACTIVE PART IN THE ANTI-TERROR OPERATIONS
By Mustafa HAJIBEYLI
There are investigated whether the organizations and individuals suspected in
partnership with terrorism have accounts at the Azerbaijani banks or not.
After the terrible September 11 terror incidents happened in New York and
Washington, the United States that began large-scale anti-terror operations gets a
support from Azerbaijan in this matter, as well. As it was turned out, immediately
after the terror acts the Azerbaijani official circles have stated the American
leadership that it is ready to render any required support to Washington at the
struggle against the international terrorism. First of all, Azerbaijan has
announced its air place open for the American Military Air Forces. In addition, the
official Baku stated that the American soldiers being wounded during the military
operations in Afghanistan could get a medical treatment at the Azerbaijani
hospitals.
At the moment, the official Baku is investigating whether the organizations and
individuals being suspected in a partnership with the international terrorism have
accounts at the Azerbaijani banks or not. Elman Rustamov, a chairman of the
Steering Board of the Azerbaijan's National Bank, informed about it at the local
media.
It is notable that after the September 11th tragedy Washington asked from
Azerbaijan to investigate the existence of banking accounts of individuals and
companies related with the terrorist organizations at the Baku's banks. The United
States has even sent Baku the list of 30 companies and 6 individuals that may be
related with the international terrorism. In the words of Rustamov, at the moment
there are examined whether the persons and companies at that list have banking
accounts in Azerbaijan or not. He marked that at present the National Bank is
working on another several lists. He stated those lists were gained "from different
sources" and stressed that operation would cover all the banks in Azerbaijan.
Another fact proving Azerbaijan's active struggle against the international
terrorism is having been detained 3 citizens of Egypt being suspected in
partnership with the terrorist organizations in Baku for a short time and handing
them to the law-enforcement agencies of that country. Besides, meanwhile the
foreign citizens visiting to Azerbaijan are seriously taken under control and
searched their activity within the country.
The news spread by the American media about the intention of the U.S. on placing
military base at the territory of Azerbaijan or using of the military airdromes of
the country also inform on extending the partnership between the two countries in
the field of struggle against terrorism.
<=Back
#3.RUSSIA IS NOT GOING TO JOIN TO "BAKU-CEYHAN"
The government delegation headed by the Russian deputy Prime Minister Victor
Kristenco has come to Baku.
Yesterday, the delegation of the Russian Government headed by the Russian deputy
Prime Minister Victor Kristenco arrived in Baku for participating in the meeting of
the Azerbaijani-Russian joint economic partnership commission. Kristenco has stated
in his briefing with the journalists at the "Bina" airport that the delegation
headed by him had "two tasks": to discuss the realization issue of the final
documents of the meeting held in April 2001 and grounding on it to plan the will be
done works in connection with the forthcoming visit of the Azerbaijani president
Heidar Aliev to Russia.
One of the questions at the agenda of Baku meeting is the discussion of the draft
on navigation presented by the Russian side. The Russian deputy prime minister
marked that the mentioned question was partially touched at the statement on the
Caspian sea of the presidents of two countries in Baku in January 2001 and "the
agreement on navigation is itself a continuation of that dialogue". Mr. Kristenco
answered negative to the question "Are there any changes in the position of the
Russian government concerning Moscow's participation in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline".
The issue on the future fate of the Gabala Radio-Location Station is not clear,
too. One of the members of the Russian delegation told the journalists that "the
works towards it continue" and perhaps will be finished till president Aliev's
Moscow trip in 2002. The guests from Russia went to a meeting with the delegation
headed by the Azerbaijani deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov from airport.
<AzB>
<=Back
#4."NATO'S TRAININGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR AZERBAIJAN"
The chairman of the Azerbaijan's Milli Mejlis Murtuz Alaskerov has invited the
chairman of the NATO 's Parliamentary Assembly Rafael Esterello to Baku.
On November 14, the chairman of the Milli Mejlis [the parliament] Murtuz Alaskerov
received the delegation headed by the army General Oktar Ataman, commander of the
United Forces of NATO at the South Eastern Europe. The speaker of the parliament
has stated that the Azerbaijani parliament is closely cooperating with the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly.
"Holding the "Cooperative Determination 2001" training in Azerbaijan in the
framework of the NATO's program of "Partnership for Peace" is very important for
us" stressed Alaskerov and marked that the trainings would serve to the development
of bilateral relations. He added that he invited Mr. Rafael Esterollo, chairman of
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, to Baku and the visit would stimulate the
development of NATO-Azerbaijani relationships.
<AzB>
<=Back
#5.THE HIDDEN SIDE OF PUTIN-BUSH TALKS
Sulhaddin Akbar: "Russia has lost its interests in the Caucasus".
The question being at the attention of the world community, as well as at the
political circles of Azerbaijan was the meeting of the Russian president Vladimir
Putin with the American president George Bush. According to the information
provided to the agency "Olaylar" by Sulhaddin Akbar, president of the Azerbaijan
Atlantic Partnership Association, there has been a serious difference of opinions
between the both presidents in the talks went around Afghanistan at the meeting.
The interests of Russia and the United States were not again similar at the
incidents in Chechnya. At the same time taking the interests into consideration in
separation of the power at the period after the "Taliban" ruling was one of the key
themes at the meeting.
Sulhaddin Akbar thinks that entering the North Alliance to the capital of
Afghanistan has begun concerning Pakistan and the U.S. In his opinion, here Russia
has tried to speak as a side having enough proves. In the words of Akbar, there has
not been touched on the problems of the Caspian region at the talks. He thinks
Russia tries to get an economic support from the West by going to definite
political compromises. Commenting the confidential diplomatic talks of both
presidents Sulhaddin Akbar supposes that George Bush has taken some compromises of
Putin into consideration at these hidden games. The major question here was
Russia's achievement to economic support. Putin is trying to realize it by
supporting the anti-terror operations.
<AzB>
<=Back
#6.ADDITIONAL ELECTIONS TO MILLI MEJLIS TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 16
Who will be elected to the parliament from Agjabedi and Tovuz districts?
On November 16 2001, there will be held addition elections to the Milli Mejlis on
the 52nd Agjabedi and 87th Tovuz city election districts. The press service of the
Central Election Commission [CEC] informed the agency "Turan" that the election
stations on both districts are ready to receive voters. The CEC has conducted
seminars on organizing additional elections at the places. According to the CEC
press service, the names of the following candidates to deputy are included into
the election bulletins:
On the 52nd Agjabedi election district;
Alasgar Allahverenov, independent, a chairman of Agjabedi regional branch of
Azerbaijan's Patriot War Veterans' Union;
Beyler Shirinov, unemployed, a member of the New Azerbaijani Party [YAP];
Teymur Rahimov, chief of Agjabedi Meloservice department, a member of the YAP;
Tahir Rzayev, chairman of Agjabedi Municipality, a member of the YAP;
On the 87th Tovuz city election district:
Ilqar Qilijov, independent, prosecutor at the Republic Prosecutor;
Ilham Rahimov, independent, a lawyer at the Azerbaijan office of the Russian LUKOIL
Company;
Adil Zeynalov, independent, a notary at the Baku's 5th Notary's Office;
Mestan Aliev, first deputy head of Tovuz region's Executive Power, a member of the
YAP;
Fuad Aliev, chairman of the Liberal-Democratic Party.
<AzB>
<=Back
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The AZERBAIJAN- weekly bulletin is published and distributed via-Internet since
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