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 The Azerbaijani opposition Civil Unity Party (CUP) will not participate in the presidential elections with own candidate. “Although we have not made a final decision on the elections, it is specified that we will not participate in the elections with own candidate,” Sabir Hajiyev, the chairman of the CUP, told Trend News on 6 August. Hajiyev said that the CUP refused from radical opposition position a while ago. The reason of this action is that the authorities’ policy corresponds with the State and nation’s interests, he said. “Despite this, I cannot say that we will support the power’s candidate. The party’s congress or meeting of the Central Council will be held with regards to the elections soon. If I say whom we will support, it can be assessed as a tension on the party’s members,” he said. |
 Azerbaijani National Independent Party (ANIP) will not nominate its candidate to the presidential post. “ANIP leader refused to nominate his candidature to the presidential post. At present, nobody wants to nominate his candidature to the presidential post,” Ali Orujov, the Deputy Chairman of ANIP, told Trend News. Orujov stated that ANIP would not boycott the elections. “We took a decision to participate in the elections. We must hold another meeting in order to change the decision. ANIP will hold the Political Council on 9 August to take the final decision regarding the elections,” Mammadov said. |
 The independent Azerbaijani MPs, who do not represent any party, will support the candidature of the current State Head, Chairman of the governing New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), Ilham Aliyev, during the elections. “The unanimous opinion during the discussions was that the independent MPs will support President Ilham Aliyev’s candidature in the elections,” independent MP Jale Aliyeva told TrendNews. There are 42 independent MPs in the Parliament. The independent MPs participate in forming the Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan (CEC), as well as district and divisional election commissions. They have five representatives in the CEC. Aliyeva considers that Azeri people, as well as independent MPs have already made their choice. According to her, independent MPs have discussed the issue of the presidential elections for several times. The positions of the independent MPs on Presidential elections coincide. |
 The Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh considers that on the eve of the presidential elections, some forces in Azerbaijan spread information of provocative character in the connection with the situation which arose around solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “The purpose of spreading information of provocative character in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is to reach the recognition of legitimacy of the present government of Armenia in the international level and inside country itself,” Head of the Azerbaijan Community, Nizami Bahmanov, told Trend News on 6 August. Russian press reports that the leadership of the Azerbaijan Community of Nagorno-Karabakh was moved to Khojavend region, which is located on the front line, and the process of the returning internally displaced persons commenced. Bakhmanov did not confirm information on removal of the office of the Azerbaijan Community of Nagorno-Karabakh to Khjavend region, which is located on the front line with Armenia. |
 Azerbaijani opposition religious Islamic Party will make a court appeal against the Justice Ministry as it rejected to grant state registration to party. “Waiting a little for state registration by the Ministry we will make a court appeal,” Mohsun Samadov, the Chairman of the party, told Trend News. Azerbaijani Islamic Party was founded in August 1991. In 1992, the party was granted with the state registration. Later, in 1995, the chairman of the party was accused of spy in favor of Iran and was arrested. For this reason, Azerbaijani Supreme Court cancelled party’s registration. Samadov said that the party has submitted all the necessary documents to the Ministry to pass the state registration long ago. “However, the Ministry in its turn said that there were technical shortcomings in the documents. Later, we removed the mentioned shortcomings, but the Ministry has not been responded yet,” the Chairman said. |
 Some members from the Agstafa, Kazakh and Sabirabad regional organizations of the opposition Musavat party resigned and will continue their political activity in the Political Movement Way of Azerbaijan (PMWA). According to the information delivered to Trend News, sixteen members from Sabirabad regional organization, 13 - from Akstafa and 11 –from Kazakh organizations resigned. The resigned persons stated that leaders of opposition parties did not have one election platform during the presidential elections in Azerbaijan. In spite of the long-term efforts, opposition parties failed to create a centre of political forces. Today, the Azerbaijani opposition needs in the centre, which will be able to hold new political relations in the country, Three members of the Azerbaijani Popular Party and one member from the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan put their signatures on the resignation paper. |
 All presidential contenders in Azerbaijan will enjoy equal conditions during the election campaign, the head of the Political Analysis & Information at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Elnur Aslanov said to the Echo newspaper. “That regards their right to use visual agitation, air time on television and radio. Azerbaijani President several times confirmed that. On the whole, we intend to hold the elections in maximum transparent, open and democratic conditions,” he said. According to Aslanov, rather open and transparent situation is developing in Azerbaijan to enable democratic elections. “Both the changes in the Election and the general political situation testify for that,” he said. |
 The Azerbaijani Central Elections Commission (CEC) is going to realize the second stage of the ‘Training on Elections Right’. “One of objective of the training is to improve legal knowledge of the CEC members. At the same time, other objectives imply to improve elections knowledge of the heads of law enforcement bodies and to specify their views in this respect. One period of this process has finished and at present one of our duties is to continue the second stage of the training,” Natig Mammadov, spokesmen of the CEC, told Trend News on 6 August. President Ilham Aliyev iissued a decree to adopt the National Action Plan in 2006. Under this decree, the CEC should conduct permanent work to hold training for members of elections subcommittees in the country. According to Mammadov, so far, training has been held for more than 30,000 members of the elections commissions. |
 The decision took by the opposition Musavat party to boycott the upcoming presidential elections caused disputes in the organization. Some members consider that the party should participate in the elections. “I consider incorrect the decision taken by Musavat to boycott the elections,” Adil Geybulla, a member of the party, told Trend News. Azerbaijani will host the presidential elections on 15 October 2008. In October 2007, Musavat took a decision to participate in the presidential elections and nominated Isa Gambar’s candidature. However, the party changed its decision in the meeting on 2 August. Party will boycott the elections. Musavat, being an opposition party, should participate in all elections, Geybulla said. Geybulla believes that opposition should launch a dialogue with the authorities and reach some mutual understanding. The possible boycott will intensify the differences and contradiction between the authorities and opposition. Foreign forces will use of this opportunity in their own political interest. |
 The 4th joint meeting of the heads of the State Frontier Services of Azerbaijan and Iran commenced in Iran’s Parsabad city, Iribnews reported. The meeting is discussing fulfilment of coordinated documents between Tehran and Baku and enhancement of frontier relations between the two countries. Except for the heads of the State Frontier Services, heads of the customs posts of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan, Jabrayil, Bilasuvar, Lankaran and Astara regions, as well as of Iran’s Poldasht, Julfa, Hodafarin, Aslanduz, Mugan and Astara regions, are in attendance. The Assistant for International Relations of the Head of Azerbaijan’s Frontier Service, Deputy Head of the State Frontier Service of Iran, military attaché of Iran’s Embassy in Azerbaijan and the head of the Ardabil Region Police (Iran) participate in the meeting. |
 On 6 August the President of Azerbaijan Republic, Ilham Aliyev, signed an order improving control on domestic waste management in Baku city. Created for this purpose, the joint stock company Tamiz Shahar will carry out all works on arrangement and utilizations of solid domestic wastes, which appear on the territory of Baku City. Balakhani area on utilization of urban wastes, which is owned the Executive Power of Baku City, and Surakhany and Garadagh sections on management and utilizations of solid domestic wastes will be transferred to the JSC Tamiz Shahar. The Ministry of Economic Development is in charge of preparing regulation of Company, State registration and settling other organizational questions. Order comes into force from the day of signing. |
 On 6 August the President of Azerbaijan Republic, Ilham Aliyev, signed an order, according to which, the authorities of judge of Khatai District Court of Baku City, Tamerlana Zeynalova, ended earlier than the time on the basis of his statement. According to another order of the President, Emrah Najafov was freed from the post of judge of Shemkir District Court, and was appointed as the judge of Military Court of Fizuli-Gubadli. The President of Azerbaijan also signed an order on appointment of the chairmen of some courts of the first instances, a change in the post of the judges of some courts of the first instances, and the appointment of judges of several courts of the first instance. |
 It has become known that Armenia has been holding Azerbaijani civilian captive for a long time. Secretary of State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons Shahin Sayilov told APA that resident of Agstafa region Arzu Eyyubov was captured in the direction of Agstafa-Ijevan under uncertain circumstances on February 19 this year. Sayilov said they were unaware of the captive’s health and were holding talks to return him. Gulnaz Guliyeva, officer of Azerbaijani office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told APA that the representatives of the committee last visited the captive in Armenia on July 18. |
 President Ilham Aliyev has decreed on improving system of migration management and applying the law on “Annexes and amendments to some legislative acts of Azerbaijan Republic”, President’s press service told APA. The Cabinet is to accelerate preparing draft Migration Code and submit to the president. State Migration Service is to analyse, forecast and monitor migration-related processes, submit relevant statistical data to the president every six months, finish establishing common information system in the field of migration, ensure recording applying up-to-date technologies, organize promotion of migration legislation in mass media, release of special publications in order to inform the people, take necessary measures for the qualification of personnel and submit its proposals on qualification of personnel. State Migration Service is to improve international cooperation in the field of migration, continue to study the experience of foreign countries and strictly obey the local legislation while granting immigrant status to foreigners and people having no citizenship. |
 Common uniform will be applied in all schools of Azerbaijan from new school year, Education Minister Misir Mardanov told at the meeting devoted to the economic indicators of the first half year, APA reports. The Minister noted that Azerbaijani President would present prizes to the winners of The best school and The best teacher contests during new school year. |
 Nasimi district police office has started investigation in connection with chairman of Umid (Hope) Party, MP Igbal Agazadeh, inspector Fuad Mehmanov told APA. He said the investigation began after “Ideal” newspaper appealed to the police office saying that Igbal Agazadeh had attacked the editorial office several times. “All the materials have already been sent to the investigation. If the appeal is proved, criminal case will be launched on Igbal Agazadeh on article 221.2.2 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code,” he said. The inspector said Igbal Agazadeh was parliamentarian and therefore it was impossible to hold him accountable. Igbal Agazadeh told APA that it was the duty of the police to investigate and make objective decision. “They will possibly make objective decision,” he said. |
 Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 16.5% in Azerbaijan in the first six months of 2008 compared with the reporting period of 2007, Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov said at Azerbaijani Government’s meeting on the outcomes of the first six months of 2008, APA-Economics reports. Sharifov said GDP per capita had grown by 15.2% and reached AZN 2,169 or $2,600. “The economy develops owing to the rapid development of oil sector and non-oil spheres. 15.6% increase was recorded in non-oil spheres in the first six months of this year”, he said. The minister said that 13.8% growth was recorded in industrial spheres of the country, 10.7% in agrarian sector. |
 225 more Azerbaijani villages will be installed with telephones within the framework of Electron Azerbaijan State Program, Ali Abbasov Minister for Information and Communication Technologies said at the meeting on economic indicators of the first half of 2008. To him, development of permanent telecommunication network is carried out within the framework of 100 telephones for 100 families. The project is of business character and provides subscribers with large striped services, i.e with high speed internet, radio and television services along with telephone services. The project is realized with technical credits, incomes of Aztelekom and Baku Telephone Communication Production Union in stages. Thousands of people use this service in the capital and regions at present. Abbasov added that Azerbaijan was at the same levels with Japan, Korea, and Singapore for per user. Azerbaijan became exporter of net service in the region from this year. Internet providers falls 30-35%. 18% people use internet and it is equal to average world indicator. |
 Technical-economic feasibility and contracts have been worked out to launch two telecommunication artificial satellites for the development of cosmic industry in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Communications and Information Technologies said at the government’s meeting on economic indicators of the first six months of this year, APA-Economics reports. The minister said that both projects were commercial and profitable. Ali Abbasov said the projects would ensure Azerbaijan’s access to the international cosmic market. If the implementation of the project starts not later than September-October, the first artificial satellite will be launched in 2010 and the second in 2011. |
 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s instruction in connection with collecting his portraits is being executed in the country. Executive bodies of Nasimi, Yasamal, Garadagh and Surakhany districts of Baku told APA that the process started soon after the relevant instruction of the president. Sabayel District Executive Body said that there was no problem concerning the president’s portraits in the territory of the district. North-western regions of Azerbaijan started removing Ilham Aliyev’s portraits. Shaki region executive body told APA’s local bureau that the process had started in the region after the presidential elections started and there were no portraits of Ilham Aliyev in the region. Meetings were held in Zagatala and Balaken regions in connection with yesterday’s assembly. Heads of all organizations and establishments, representatives of villages and municipalities were informed about the president’s order. Ilham Aliyev’s portraits have not been removed in Gakh region yet. The region’s executive body said the process would start soon. |
 Pumping oil had been suspended because of the fire occurred on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline this morning, BP Azerbaijan spokeswoman Tamam Bayatli told APA-Economics. “Turkey’s Botas International Limited Company told BP Azerbaijan that fire had broken out on a Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, measures were being taken to extinguish the fire. The pipeline has not been damaged, since it has been constructed underground. Pumping oil via BTC has been suspended by request of Botas International Limited. Despite this, oil production and shipment of oil with tankers continue. The causes of the fire will be investigated after the fire is extinguished,” Tamam Bayatli said. The spokeswoman said no casualties were reported. |
 August 6, 2008. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has launched the Central Asia and Azerbaijan Mortgage Lending Advisory Project. The project’s objective is to provide direct support to commercial banks in implementing or upgrading their mortgage programmes focusing on serving the banking sector of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Banks in Central Asia and Azerbaijan have expressed a need for high quality direct support to development their mortgage lending facilities; in a region without a tradition of housing finance this would provide a significant and immediate impact. “This project will help to ensure that the foundation is in place for long term growth and security in the local mortgage market through the transfer of best practices in mortgage lending to local commercial banks. With the current market instability, this is now more important than ever”, said Garth Bedford, IFC Project Manager. |
 Nakhchivan-based radios will be monitored, Nakhchivan Television and Radio Council told APA Nakhchivan bureau. The monitoring aims to learn implementation of demands set by law on Television and Radio Broadcasting. Maintenance of laws adopted by the Council, national values will also be monitored. Nakhchivan State Radio (104FM) and Voice of Nakhchivan (106FM) will be monitored during two weeks. Outcomes of the monitoring will be debated at the next meeting of the Council with the participation of officials of radios. |
 The law on apiculture will be adopted in Azerbaijan, chairman of the Parliament’s Standing Commission on Agrarian Policy Eldar Ibrahimov told APA. He said that the bill on apiculture had been presented to the relevant ministries and government agencies. Eldar Ibrahimov said the bill covered improvement of bee-keeping, the government’s tasks in this field and other issues. The chairman noted that the bill on apiculture would be discussed in the fall session of the parliament. |
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