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 Central Election Commission (CEC) launches trainings to enlighten lower election commissions regarding the upcoming presidential elections. “In the end of August, the first stage of trainings, which will cover over 30,000 members of the lower election commissions, will b summarized,” Azar Sariyev, a spokesperson in CEC, told Trend News. According to Sariyev, the trainings, which have been held since 2003, will be implemented within a new format: at the current trainings are held by trainers from district election commissions. The framework of projects, which have been implemented by CEC and Venice Commission of Council of Europe, unites 2 people from each district election commission. The trainers had been trained from 15 July to 19 July. Trainings covered 250 specialists. |
 New chairman’s elections at the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Supreme Assembly may be delayed till the party’s convention. “We will try to hold a convention by the end of 2008. Members of the Supreme Assembly will be re-elected at the convention. Therefore, the Supreme Assembly’s chairman may be elected at the convention as well,” Fuad Mustafayev, the deputy chairman of the PFPA, said to Trend News on 13 August. Gulamhuseyn Alibayli, the chairman of the PFPA’s Supreme Assembly, resigned from the party and his position on 8 August. Mustafayev stated that Alibayli’s resignation could not seriously influence on the work of the Supreme Assembly. There are deputy chairmen of the Supreme Assembly and they will carry out necessary work, he said. “At present there are no candidates to the position. |
 The Azerbaijani Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) have been determined, which will hold exit-poll in the presidential elections to be held on 15 October. Exit-poll will be held by the coalition of the ‘Free, transparent and fair elections’, which presentation was held in Baku on 15 August. ‘For civil society’ NGO, the Democratic Elections Centre, the Political Technology and Innovation Centre, the Azerbaijan’s Regional Development Centre and the Intellect NGO formed the coalition. At the spring session the Azerbaijani Parliament made a decision enabling the local NGOs to hold exit-poll. During a news conference, Salman Vilayatoglu, the head of the Intellect NGO, said that the coalition was established to activate voters and contribute to hold fair and transparent elections. |
 Financing of projects, allocated by youth organizations in the first competition to receive grants, which was announced by the Council on State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) under the Azerbaijani President, is not proportional with the number of youths in the country. This was told Trend News by Ceyhun Osmanli, a member of the Council of Founders of Irali (Ahead) Public Youth Movement. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree to appoint members to the Council on State Support to NGOs under the Azerbaijani President. Under the Statement on the Council on State Support to NGOs under the Azerbaijani President, approved by the Azerbaijani President dating 13 December 2007, the Council will unite 11 members, three state representatives, eight appointed out of candidates, nominated by NGOs. |
 Representatives from Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Transport and Asian Development Bank held discussion and signed a protocol on a new loan agreement for the proposed the East-West Highway Improvement Project. Musa Panahov, Deputy Minister of Transport, said Azerbaijan had previously signed a Multitranche Financing Facility (MFF) framework agreement that provides tranches to finance transport projects in the country. The project that envisions rehabilitation of 39km two-lane road as part of the East-West Highway from Baku to Georgian borer will also strengthen Azerbaijan’s transport links to Georgia with an aim to promote regional cooperation. |
 The United States has cancelled a joint naval exercise with Russia FRUKUS-2008. APA reports quoting Interfax that the US officially informed Moscow about it. The exercise was due to take place in the Sea of Japan on August 15-23 involving ships from France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The aim of the exercise is to coordinate joint activity during peacekeeping operations in the sea. |
 Two more candidates were nominated for Presidency in Azerbaijan. Press Service of the Central Election Commission (CEC) told APA, adviser to “Medeniyyet” (Culture) newspaper Teymur Guliyev and Editor-in-Chief of “Ekspertiza” newspaper Suleyman Guliyev applied CEC for approval of their nomination. According to the law their applications will be responded within 5 days. Besides these persons 12 candidates have been nominated for Presidency. |
 “Presidents” of unrecognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia republics Eduard Kokoity and Sergey Bagapsh signed the six-principle document on the settlement of the current conflicts with Georgia. APA reports that the signing ceremony was held with participation of Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev. The principles on the settlement of the conflict had been signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili earlier. |
 Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Azerbaijan next week. Prime Minister said this at the press conference in Tbilisi, APA reports. Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to have discussions with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the current situation in the South Caucasus. “We will discuss with Mr. Ilham Aliyev the protection of the joint projects of Turkey and Azerbaijan,” he said. Georgia plays an important role in the energy and transport projects implemented by Turkey and Azerbaijan. |
 Because of difference of opinion on the period and effective date of the proposed agreement on mutual protection and promotion of investments between Azerbaijan and Russia, the document was not signed during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Baku. Russia’s Trade Officer in Azerbaijan, Yuri Shedrin told a press conference that the agreement may be signed by the end of this year. "To obtain investment guarantee, Russian capital has to be registered in a third country because the agreement has not been signed. As a result, Russian investments in Azerbaijan amounted to $3 million only", he added. |
 Azerbaijan and the Republic of Tatarstan (Russia) will are negotiating on joint production of household refrigerators, said Tatarstan’s permanent representative to Azerbaijan Nail Zaripov. He added that Azerbaijan’s Chinar and Tatarstan’s Pozis are in negotiations. “Tatarstan agrees to send parts and fridges will be assembled in Azerbaijan under any brand,” he noted. Chinar produces 30 000 and Tatarstan makes 1.5 million refrigerators a year. |
 Members of Azerbaijani Parliament Asim Mollazadeh, Ganira Pashayeva, Gular Ahmadova and Fuad Muradov are on a visit to California, USA at the invitation of the State’s Senate. According to APA US bureau, the Azerbaijani parliamentarians met with President of San Francisco Board of Supervisors Aaron Peskin, who presented special certificate to the Azerbaijani delegation at the Board’s special meeting. Speaking on behalf of Azerbaijani delegation, lawmaker Asim Mollazadeh emphasized the importance of development of the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and California and said San Francisco, as a developed city, took unique place in this cooperation. Mollazadeh gave wide information about the strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan and USA. |
 Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan (CEC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Milli Majlis sent official invitations to a number of international organizations to observe the presidential elections on October 15, Rovzat Gasimov, head of CEC International Relations Department told APA. He said OSCE, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Commonwealth of Independent States and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are among the invited organizations. Gasimov said the invitation would be sent to other international organizations, parliaments and election commissions of different countries in the next few days. |
 Armenian armed forces continue to commit arsons in the occupied Azerbaijani territories. APA’s Karabakh bureau reports that Armenian servicemen set fire to Ergunesh mountain of Azerbaijan’s Fuzuli Region. Large pastures have burned down. The fire spread to the forest strip. The fire in the forest strip continues. |
 The Jewish community in Azerbaijan has very good conditions. The Jews living in the country feel at home, Chief Executive of the American Jewish Committee David Harris said to journalists in Baku on 14 August. “We have long-term good relations with Azerbaijan’s Jewish community. Azerbaijan is the country of tolerance. There are very solid relations between Azerbaijan and the United States in this field,” said Harris. According to Chief Executive, the United States takes Azerbaijan a very important country. Harris is visiting Azerbaijan on the invitation of country’s President. He will meet with Azerbaijani President, Foreign Minister, Prime Minister and other officials within his 2-day visit. |
 An Azerbaijani citizen 33-year-old Arzu Eyubov, resident of Gabala region’s Zalam village, was taken hostage by Armenian servicemen in February 2008 and released today, Azerbaijan State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons said to Trend News on 14 August. According to the State Commission, Eyubov was released at the troops contact line nearby Bala Jafarli village of Azerbaijani Gazakh region. “Hostage’s health condition is normal. Release process was mediated by the International Red Cross Committee,” State Committee said. |
 The opposition Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA) believes wrong some parties’ will, which refused to participate in the presidential elections, to observe the elections. “I consider wrong the decision by some opposition parties to observe the elections. DPA will not observe the elections and will not make any statement,” Sardar Jalaloglu, Chairman of DPA, told Trend News. DPA will not participate in the elections,” Jalaloglu said. Ali Orujov, activist of the opposition Azerbaijani National IndependeNT Party (ANIP) told Trend News that every party have different attitude to the elections. “Etibar Mammadov, Leader of ANIP did not nominate his own candidture and we failed to participate in the elections with our own candidate. However, ANIP may participate in the elections in some other form. The final decision regaring the elections will be made at the next meeting of the Political Council,” Orujov said. |
 The Azerbaijani authorities believe there some doubtful moments in financing of the country’s political parties. “We and our society worry about the doubtful moments in the financing of political parties,” Ali Hasanov, the head of the Public & Political Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, said to journalists on 14 August. There are 52 registered political parties in Azerbaijan. According to Hasanov, taking into consideration the doubtful moments, political parties could be financed by the state to prevent the doubts. “There is the practice in the world to finance political parties through the state budget. The idea has been suggested in Azerbaijan and is being discussed. Political parties can be financed by the Azerbaijani state,” Hasanov said. |
 National NGO Forum (NNGOF) of Azerbaijan has developed a plan of arrangements regarding the upcoming presidential elections. “NNGOF will implement arrangements in order to hold democratic elections and to raise activity of electorate,” Rauf Zeyni, President of NNGOF, told Trend News. Azerbaijan will host the presidential election on 15 October 2008. So far 12 candidates have nominated their documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC). According to Zeyni, NNGOF will implement trainings regarding the upcoming presidential elections. Trainings will be held especially for persons who will observe the elections. “We will hold exit-poll. We will also render assistance to other NGOs as well in the capital and other regions,” Zeyni said. |
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