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 “There will not be any problem for participation of prisoners in the presidential elections. The process will be carried out legally”, Justice Minister Fikrat Mammadov told journalists, APA reports. To him, each prisoner has right of voting and will use his right. The Minister stated that polling stations would be established in detention facilities and all conditions would be created for promotion of presidential candidates in detention facilities. |
 “Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be solved taking into account Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,” U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse told journalists, APA reports. She said it was opportune time to solve the conflict. “The process of the settlement should be peaceful. We consider that OSCE Minsk Group will continue its work within the present format”,she said. |
 Pre-election mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will visit Baku on September 16-17. Head of the mission, PACE Monitoring Committee’s co-rapporteur for Azerbaijan Andres Herkel told APA the mission would consist of six members representing PACE’s all political groups. The European parliamentarians will meet with the presidential candidates, top officials of the Central Election Commission and representatives of the non-governmental organizations to learn pre-election environment in Azerbaijan. |
 Following signing the documents on September 11, leaders of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan made statements for the press. Press service of the President told APA President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said visit of President of Uzbekistan was an important phase in the development of dynamic and useful relations between the countries. “Similarity of our traditions, cultures and languages united us. We always supported each other in the international organizations and we will continue this support further. We highly appreciated Uzbekistan’s attitude to the issues of Azerbaijan in the international organizations. We will also support brother country if it is necessary”. |
 US Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza begins his visit to the Caucasus on Friday, head of Public Relations Department of US Embassy in Azerbaijan Terry Davidson told APA. Bryza will arrive in Azerbaijan next week following the visit to Armenia and Georgia. Davidson said the main goal of the visit was continuation of the negotiations over Nagorno Karabakh conflict and discussion of situation in the region. |
 “Election-2008” NGO Coalition held a roundtable on the theme “Mechanism of public control in free and fair elections: skills, opportunities and problems”. APA reports that presidential candidates, heads of political parties and NGOs, election experts, representatives of international organizations participated in the roundtable. Head of “Inam” Pluralism Center Vahid Gazi said though the elections would be held in a month, the process is cool and dull enough. He added that such a passive election had never been observed in Azerbaijan. |
 Turkish President Abdullah Gul sent letters of gratitude to the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan for their hospitality during his visits to these countries, APA reports quoting website of Turkish President. In his letter to Serzh Sarkisian Abdullah Gul expressed his confidence that the meetings held during his visit to Armenia were useful and invited his Armenian counterpart to watch the return match of Turkish and Armenian national teams in 2009. In his letter to Ilham Aliyev Abdullah Gul said he was satisfied that their views coincided while discussing regional and bilateral issues and underlined the importance of continuing the meetings. |
 The Parliament is expected to consider the issue on amending the military legislation on exempting from military service the young people wishing to get Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree and postgraduate education, member of the Parliament’s Standing Commission on Science and Education Abel Maharramov said, APA reports. Maharramov said it was important to offer opportunities to the young people to get uninterrupted education. |
 Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has issued an order to increase scholarship of post-graduates, students and pupils of higher, specialized secondary schools, vocational schools and lyceums, President’s press service told APA. The scholarships of post-graduates, students of higher, secondary, vocational schools and lyceums have been increased as follows: -Post-graduates – AZN 90 - In higher schools: students getting special grants – AZN 90 -holders of master’s degree: excellent students – AZN 75 |
 Chairman of Great Establishment Party, presidential candidate Fazil Gazanfaroglu has today received head of OSCE Election Observation Mission, Ambassador Boris Frlec and analyst on politics Raphael Mathew. The party’s press service told APA that pre-election socio-political situation in the country had been discussed, Fazil Gazanfaroglu gave information the party’s preparation for the elections. |
 The National Bank of Azerbaijan (NBA) is working on a new draft program for mortgage loan lending. Elman Rustamov, the chairman of the NBA, said the mortgage lending has to be based on the principle of self-financing on the instructions of the Head of State. “In general, the provision of mortgage loans through budgetary funds will mean the creation of additional source for inflation", he added. According to him, the practices of a number of countries including Denmark and Mexico are being studied at present. "In these countries there is a flexible model of mortgage lending. The new mortgage lending model for the coming years is pending for approval by the government. This new model will be introduced from next year", he noted. |
 Since the introduction of the single window for business registration on January this year, 34 000 businesses have been registered, said Fazil Mammadov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Taxes. According to him, one-stop shop for business startup halved the time, cost, and number of steps required starting a business. As a result, business registrations increased by 40 percent in the first six months of its operation. "We believe that we will achieve even greater success in this area in the long term. The charter forms have been improved. Entrepreneurs, unlike previous years, must register with simplified charters", he added. |
 The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted at its 62nd session on September 11 the resolution on increase of transparency in the industrial fields drafted by Azerbaijan. The resolution’s main goal is the recognition of Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) by the UN General Assembly, APA reports quoting AzerTAC news agency. 27 countries joined the resolution as a co-author. Azerbaijani Ambassador to UN Agshin Mehdiyev submitted the document on behalf of all co-authors. He informed about the project’s aim and emphasized the role of government, private sector and civil society in providing transparency in the industrial fields, particularly in the extractive industries. |
 “17 court buildings will be constructed in the country in a short time”, Justice Minister Fikrat Mammadov said, APA reports. The minister said that the World Bank and Justice Ministry had signed agreement on modernizing judicial system. “According to the agreement, preferential loan has been allocated. Court buildings that will be built at the expense of this loan will be supplied with the most modern technologies. It will give impetus to just and more effective work of the court,” he said. |
 Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko called Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and his supporters to return to democratic coalition, APA reports Ukrainian news agencies. Statement made by Timoshenko covers that if block of Yushchenko does not return to coalition till September 16 the coalition will be collapsed legally. “I appeal to Yushchenko personally: Postpone all emotions, struggle for presidential elections and return to the coalition without any demand and ultimatum”, said in statement. The President announced at the Parliament that de-facto formed coalition between block of Timoshenko and Party of Regions performs scenario of coup d’etat by sharing Government responsibility. He assessed ongoing developments in Supreme Rada (decrease of power of the President with votes of block of Timoshenko, Party of Regions and Communist Party) as violation of articles of agreement of coalition and destruction of democratic successes of Ukraine. |
 Members of the West European Parliamentary Assembly’s Political Committee will arrive in Baku on September 14. Press Service of Azerbaijani Parliament told APA they aim to prepare report on Security of the Caspian Sea and Europe. Polish, German, Czech, Belgian and Greek parliamentarians have been involved in the delegation led by the Spanish Chairman of the Committee Pedro Agramunt. The Assembly members consider a number of meetings in Baku. |
 President Ilham Aliyev and President Islam Karimov held large meeting with participation of Azerbaijani and Uzbek delegations on September 11. Press service of the President told APA Azerbaijani leader said friendly and fraternal relations between the two countries, which based on ancient history, were successfully developed. “We have general opinion that integration processes, cooperation and joint projects will strengthen bilateral relations and create new opportunities for cooperation. Uzbekistan is friendly and fraternal country for us and we highly appreciate your support in the international organizations. For our part, we will also be together with you as it was earlier”. |
 The debatable questions, which prevent the adoption of a new Law on Education of Azerbaijan, are resolved. “In the period of the vacations of Parliament significant works were carried out the on the law draft on education, and it will be adopted at the autumn session,” member of the Parliament’s Standing Committee for Science and Education, MP Abel Maharramov, briefed the media. The current Law on Education was adopted in 1992. “There are the specific problematic questions, which gradually find their solution. There are not dark moments of any kind, which prevent the adoption of law,” Maharramov said. |
 The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) created an election fund of its Presidential candidate, present Head of State, Ilham Aliyev. “At present the process of the voluntary allocations to the fund continues,” the NAP Deputy Executive Secretary, Mubariz Gurbanli, briefed the media. Gurbanli did not call the amounts collected in the Fund. With regards to the amount which will be spent on the pre-election company of the ruling party, Gurbanli noted that there will be not material supplies in the root of the campaign: “NAP has 450,000 members, and we can win the campaign, without spending huge monies. |
 Opportunities for development of economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Sweden will be discussed at the business forum including businessmen of the two countries. The business forum will be organized in Stockholm on 16 September by the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), Azerbaijani Embassy in Sweden and Swedish SEB bank, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Sweden Rafael Ibrahimov said to Trend News in a telephone conversation from Stockholm on 12 September. Prospects of development of the trade, economic, bank, financial, ICT cooperation between the two countries will be discussed at the forum. Representatives of about 15 Azerbaijani leading companies are expected to participate in the business forum. Sweden will be represented by 25 companies, and 19 of them have already confirmed their interest in the forum. |
 Russia appointed a new military attache to its embassy in Azerbaijan – Captain Aleksandr Moiseev. On 12 September, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasiliy Istratov presented newly appointed military attache Moiseev to Azerbaijani Defence Minister Colonel-General Safar Abiyev, Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said to Trend News on 12 September. Defence Minister and Ambassador discussed the strained situation in the region and the ways to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. |
 Ruling New Azerbaijan Party of Azerbaijan says the venues allotted by the Baku City Administration for demonstrations prior to elections are suitable. “NAP believes that matter is not the venue for demonstrations, but with whom they stage it. If there are people supporting a candidate, they will take part in it regardless of its venue,” Mubariz Gurbanli, deputy executive secretary of NAP said. Baku City Administration has allotted certain venues in line with the Law on Freedom of Assembly in districts of capital city. Co-chairman of Azadlig bloc and chairman of Citizens and Development Party Ali Aliyev believes that the venues allotted by the City Administration do not differ from previous ones. |
 Yuriy Bocharov, one more Azerbaijani, will participate in the municipal elections to be held in Israel on 11 November. “Bocharov, a member of the Executive Body of the Azerbaijan-Israel International Association, has been nominated for the position of mayor of Haifa city,” the State Committee on Azerbaijanis Living Abroad told Trend News on 12 September. Haifa ranks the third due the number of people in Israel and there are many Jews moving from Azerbaijan in this city. Bocharov was born in Baku in 1958 and immigrated to Israel in 1991. Bocharov is a coordinator on the Russian speaking people at the Haifa City Municipal since 2007. Our countryman joined different courses organized on mayor and deputy mayor positions in Israel. |
 The 90th anniversary of Baku's liberation from Armenian Dashnaks will be marked in Canadian Toronto on September 20, reported the press service of the State Committee for Work with Azerbaijanis, residing abroad. The event on "Liberation of Baku and success of Azerbaijan-Turkey brotherhood" will be arranged by the Canada-Azerbaijan Associations Assembly. The arrangement will be attended by officials of the Azerbaijani embassy to Canada, as well as representatives of Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora organizations, functioning in Canada. |
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