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 BP-Azerbaijan has suspended South Caucasus gas pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum). BP Communications Manager Tamam Bayatly told APA-Economics gas supply through the pipeline had been suspended as a precautionary measure. “Despite this, both Turkey and Georgia are getting the gas in the pipeline and the production continues”, she said. Tamam Bayatly said that Baku-Supsa oil pipeline had also been suspended as a precautionary measure. “Restart of both pipelines will depend on the developments in Georgia”, she said. |
 CEC Chairman Mazahir Panahov has met Arjen de Wolff, NDI’s Resident Director in Azerbaijan today, CEC Press Service told APA. Panahov spoke about the activity of CEC and cooperation with OSCE, the Council of Europe, and International Foundation for Election Systems and other international organizations. Panahov added that all elections held in the country had been observed by hundreds of representatives of international organizations. CEC Chairman noted that all measures had been taken for presidential elections on October 15. Resident Director stated that his meeting with CEC Chairman was of familiarizing character and NDI would focus on the upcoming presidential elections. |
 “I regret that Gulamhuseyn Alibayli left Popular Azerbaijan Front Party,” chairman of Popular Azerbaijan Front Party Ali Karimli told APA. He said despite Alibayli’s resignation, the party was committed to its political course. “We are persistent in our political course and our position. Even if we undergo losses, restrictions and pressures, we will continue our political course,” he said. As regards Gulamhuseyn Alibayli’s nomination, Ali Karimli said he himself had clarified it better. “Gulamhuseyn Alibayli said he would not participate in the elections to become president. He did it to draw political dividend. He also intends to establish a party,” he said. |
 The President of the European Court of Human Rights has granted a request from the Georgian Government in the context of an inter-State application against the Russian Federation, APA reports quoting official website of the Council of Europe. This request was made in the context of an application directed against the Russian Federation alleging violations of Articles 2 (right to life) and 3 (prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment) of the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) to the Convention. |
 Azerbaijan National Bank allows country’s banks to realize money transmissions via Western Union and MoneyGram, APA reports quoting official website of National Bank. Azerbaijani banks can use above-said money transmission systems from August 14, 2008. National Bank determined realization of money transmissions via Contact, Western Union, Zolotaya-Korono-Denejnie Perevodi, MoneyGram, Migom, Private Money, Leader as well as money transmission systems in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan during the monitoring to ensure financial mediation within the framework of the national legislation. Websites of these money transmission systems distorted Azerbaijani territories and write names of several dwelling areas incorrectly. |
 On 13 August, ‘Elections 2008’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) coalition was established to increase public activity in the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan. Vahid Gazi, the chairman of Inam (Faith) Pluralism Centre, Osman Gunduz, the director of the Multimedia Information Systems and Technologies Centre, Umid Rahimoglu, the chairman of the International Eurasia Media Fund and a member of the Press Council’s Board, and Azar Hasrat, the chairman of KASKFEN, founded the coalition. The presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan on 15 October. So far, 12 presidential candidates have submitted their documents to the Central Elections Commission to join the presidential elections. |
 President of France Nicolas Sarkozy, who had ended his visit to Russia and left for Georgia, had talks with President Mikhail Saakashvili. APA reports quoting Russian news agencies that though Georgian President signed the document on ensuring ceasefire, he did not accept one of the six principles agreed by Nicolas Sarkozy and Dmitry Medvedev on the settlement of Abkhazia and South Ossetia conflicts. On Georgia’s request, the point on initiating international discussions for determining the future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has been removed from document. Saakashvili said the point has been removed, since it caused various interpretations. Nicolas Sarkozy also said that the point had been removed with Medvedev’s consent. He said the main thing was that agreement had been reached to cease all kind of military activities. |
 Holy Muslim month, Ramadan will start on September 1 in Azerbaijan, Press Service of Caucasus Muslims Office told APA. Holy Ramadan will last 30 days. Laylat al-Qadr falls on 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th or 27th nights. Ramadan ends with the holiday Eid ul-fitr to be verified by the sighting of the new moon on September 30 or October 1. |
 Vasili Istra“Russia completely supports Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and there is not any change in this issue”, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasili Istratov told the press conference, APA reports. Asked if international law gives opportunity to conduct military operations for punishment of occupier, then why measures were taken on realization of four resolutions of the UN Security Council on liberation of Azerbaijani occupied lands, Istratov answered. “You want Russia to implement it? We mediate together with other countries and try the parties to find the way out of the situation”, he said. Istratov touched upon resignation of Mikhail Saakashvili called by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and noted that it should be implemented by Georgians, Parliament and the President. |
 The United States is the one country where the Parliament renders assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh separatist regime, Gultakin Hajiyeva, Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijani standing Parliamentary Commission on International Relations and Parliamentary Ties and member of Azerbaijani Delegation to PACE, said. “Since getting independence we understood that the United States differs from the country that we idealized initially,” Hajiyeva said. The United States had not cancelled the 907th amendment so far and attempts to calm Azerbaijan by holding moratorium. According to Hajiyeva, the United States and Azerbaijan are strategic partners. “Compared to other OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, the United States is preferred partner for Azerbaijan,” Hajiyeva stated. |
 Azerbaijan opposition Vahdat party intends to support country’s current President Ilham Aliyev as the presidential contender of the governing New Azerbaijan Party (NAP). “On 16 August, the Supreme Assembly of the party will make a decision conforming to our political course. Probably, the decision will be to support Ilham Aliyev,” Chairman of the Vahdat Tahir Karimli said to Trend News on 13 August. On 2 August, the NAP convention officially nominated Ilham Aliyev. President’s candidature has been nominated by the Ana Vatan and Social Prosperity parties so far. Moreover, he was nominated by the Trade Union Association of Azerbaijan and the Red Crescent Association of Azerbaijan. |
 The US International Republican Institute (IRI) will not hold exit-poll in the presidential elections to be held in Azerbaijan. “We will not conduct exit-poll for the lack of financial assistance,” Tural Ahmadov, the head of the IRI Azerbaijan Office’s Political Programs, told Trend News on 13 August. According to Ahmadov, exit-poll is not expected to be held because the US Agency for International Development has not allocated financial aid. |
 Rauf Arifoglu, a member of the Azerbaijani opposition Musavat party and chief editor of Yeni Musavat newspaper, believes that a joint summit of parties, which refused to participate in the upcoming presidential elections, needs to hold. “Musavat proposed to hold such a meeting several months ago. However, Musavat’s proposal was not carried out then. The current processes show the necessity to hold such a summit immediately,” Arifoglu told Trend News. According to Arifoglu, unfortunately, the unity within opposition is only talking about. “Actually, the approach amongst parties has been observed since the decision not to participate in the elections had been made. No meetings were held between opposition leaders secretly or openly. It is quite an important event which causes alarm. Summit and consultations within the party should have been held immediately after Musavat made a final decision in August. Unfortunately, it is not happening and ice amongst opposition parties has not melt and no steps have been taken to hold cooperation,” Arifoglu said. |
 A Council of Europe (CE) mission including 30 people will observe the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan, CE Vice-President and the head of Azerbaijan’s delegation to PACE Samad Seyidov said to journalists in Baku on 13 August. According to the Chairman of the CEC Mazahir Panahov, 11 people have submitted their subscription lists to the Commission to participate in the elections as presidential contenders. One more candidate submitted his documents. Seyidov said a meeting of the PACE Bureau scheduled for 5 September will discuss the military conflict in South Ossetia ongoing between Russia and Georgia. |
 The opposition Open Society Party (OSP) considers that the decision of majority of opposition parties to refuse participating in the presidential elections is not connected with the pre-election situation. “I consider statements on non-democratic conditions of the pre-election campaign as lame excuses. Opposition’s boycotting the elections was not though out beforehand, it did not reflect the defined tactics, whilst just the opposition was subjected to follow this way,” Zamina Dunyamaliyeva, a member of the OSP and advisor of the party’s leader, said to Trend News on 12 August. Gulamhuseyn Alibayli, a former chairman of the Azerbaijani Poular Front Party’s Supreme Assembly, nominated his candidature on 11 August and the CEC will make a decision on confirming his candiature soon. |
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