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 Initiative by the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to hold trilateral meeting of Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Moscow can serve as an incentive for accelerating talks on the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Novosti Armenia quoted Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan as saying. “Armenian attaches great importance and welcomes Russian President’s initiative that can give a push to negotiations. We are hopeful that the meeting will open new opportunities to accelerate talks which will lead to the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” he told press conference on 30 October. |
 The project of the Amnesty Act which was presented to the Parliament of Azerbaijan envisages reducing imprisonment term of all prisoners by one year. “In addition, the project envisages replacing life-term imprisonment with 20 years in prison,” MP Panah Huseynov, member of Musavat Group of MPs representing opposition in the Parliament, told Trend News on 30 October. |
 Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin believes other countries could join implementation of a range of Russia-Iran projects, ITAR-TASS quoted. “We have a plenty of bilateral and multilateral prospective projects,” Putin said at his meeting with Iranian First Vice-President Parviz Davoodi in Astana on 30 October. According to Putin, besides Russia and Iran, Azerbaijan also can take part in the development of transport infrastructure and Qatar in the power engineering field. |
 Labor pensions and subsistence minimum will be raised in Azerbaijan next year, said Hadi Rajabli, chairman of a parliamentary commission for social policy. “The insurance and basic parts of pensions need increasing not less than once a year. Usually, the lowest rise is 25%. Therefore, the next rise will be remarkable,” he added. He added that there are some discrepancies in the pension system of the country. |
 MPs, chairmen of opposition parties, former presidential candidates in Azerbaijan do not consider it possible to create the fraction of MPs in the Parliament. “Palette of MPs, presenting opposition political movements in the Parliament, is various. This variety prevents,” Chairman of Umid Party, former Presidential candidate, Igbal Agazade, told TrendNews on 30 October. The question of establishing the fraction of oppositional MPs in the Parliament was raised repeatedly; however, it has not been realized yet. According to the Charter of Parliament, at least 25 people must come together for creating the fraction in the Parliament. |
 The candidature of the eminent scientist will be nominated to the chairmanship position to the new established opposition party of Azerbaijan. “Although I initiated establishment of the party, I want it to be headed by eminent scientist,” Aydin Guliyev, the chief editor of the Baku Khabar newspaper, told Trend News. At present, the works have been carried out to announce members of the Organization Committee of the party. Guliyev did not announce the name of the candidate to the chairmanship position. |
 Before the meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia on November 2 in Moscow, foreign ministers of the three countries will meet on October 31 in the Russian capital, executive foreign minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists, APA reports. The minister said they would report on the results of the meeting to the presidents and after that the leaders of the three countries would meet. Responding the question about the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh independence, Mammadyarov said this issue was not a subject of the negotiations. |
 There is not any need to change the Law on Freedom of Assembly again, the Azerbaijani Parliament believes. “Issue on injection of changes into the Law of Freedom of Assembly was removed from agenda,” Latif Huseynov, the head of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s Department of Legislation for State Establishment and Azerbaijani representative at the Venice Commission, told TrendNews on 30 October |
 The book entitled Turkic World and Greater Armenia Dream by Azerbaijani authors was presented on 30 October. Authors of the book - professor Vagif Arzumanli, doctor of philology and Khoshgadam Hidayat gizi, editor-in-chief of Uch Nogta newspaper said the book is dedicated to misdeeds and violence committed by Armenians for the last two centuries. The book aims at informing world once again about the violence against Turks. |
 Huge financial support is needed to establish a TV channel, which will be aired in Caucasus, Nushiravan Maharramli, the chairman of the National Broadcasting Council (NBC), said. “Strong financial support is necessary to establish TV channel to be aired in Caucasus. It should meet interests of the state. It should not be given to a monopoly of separate people,” Maharramli told TrendNews on 30 October. There are seven channels in Azerbaijan, which are aired across the territory of the country. The NBC chairman offered to establish TV channel to be aired in whole Caucasus. |
 Nasimi District Court of Baku made a decision on arresting the editor-in-chief of Ideal newspaper. The arresting decision with regards to the editor-in-chief of Ideal newspaper was made several days ago and a search was announced to arrest him. As the editor-in-chief did not come to the court process on the claim regarding him, the court made a decision on arresting him. Although Elman Ahmadov, judge who made the decision, confirmed making decision arresting the editor-in-chief, he did not provide details of the case. |
 Former presidential contenders in Azerbaijan have developed financial reports and will submit them to the Central Election Commission (CEC). “We have developed the financial report and will deliver it to CEC early next week,” Igbal Agazade, the Chairman of the opposition Umid party and former presidential contender, told Trend News. Agazade said that his party spent over AZN 200,000 to the election campaign. The Election Code says that in case a candidate fails to gain less than 3% of votes he must return the allocated sum to CEC. We gained less than 3% of votes and will return AZN 28,800 to CEC. Siyaush Novruzov, plenipotentiary of the former presidential contender from the governing New Azerbaijan party (NAP), said that the party had delivered the financial report to CEC several days ago. |
 Azerbaijani Deputy Interior Minister and Police General Lieutenant Asgar Alakbarov’s interview with TrendNews Question: Mr. Alakbarov, in addition to former police officers, recently there have been current police officers amongst jailed criminals. Is the Ministry concerned over this fact? Answer: Police is one part of society. We always say it and never denied. However, every people in society, who either work at police agencies or other law-enforcement bodies, is responsible for living up to the Azerbaijani legislations. The mentioned people used to work at the police agencies and perhaps, they have been dismissed from the police bodies because of their actions contradicting Azerbaijani Law. It is incorrect to ascribe this event to all hardworking police officers. |
 Azerbaijani ambassador to the United Kingdom Fakhraddin Gurbanov met with the members of British parliament John Mann and Mark Pritchard, press service of the embassy told APA. Azerbaijani-British relationship and ways of extension of the relations were discussed at the meetings. The ambassador informed the British parliamentarians about the situation in Azerbaijan and in the South Caucasian region as well, and about the political-economic reforms in the country. He underlined the special importance of regional security and said it would contribute to the integration processes in the region. |
 The Spanish Parliament will host the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s 54th Annual Session in Valencia on November 14-18, Ziyafat Asgarov, Head of MM delegation to NATO PA told an official website of YAP, APA reports. Azerbaijani delegation will visit Valencia to attend the Session. |
 8 asteroids in the universe were titled with the Azerbaijani names, director of Tusi Astrophysics Observatory of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Ayyub Guliyev told APA. He said there were celestial objects named as “Azerbaijan”, “Shamakhi Astrophysics Observatory”, “Nizami Ganjavi”, “Nasraddin Tusi”, “Huseyn Javid”, “Muslim Magomayev”, “Sorin” (Russian scientist worked in Azerbaijan), and “Ayyub Guliyev”. |
 Azerbaijan’s State Agency for Standardization, Metrology and Patents will set up an Institute of Metrology. Ramiz Hasanov, Director General of the Agency, said the main problem is the shortage of qualified personnel. “This project is also supported by the EU-backed Twinning Project,” he added. |
 A scientific conference was held yesterday on the initiative of Azerbaijan University of Languages on the topic “Actual problems of foreign language teaching in secondary and higher schools”. According to APA, the rector of Azerbaijan University of Languages Samad Seyidov said that after Azerbaijan gained independence a need for learning foreign languages appeared for integration of the country with the world, its development and propaganda. He said that he considered the increase of the interest in Azerbaijan only for English language not to be right: “thie matter cannot be approached blindly. Broadening of English language teaching must not hinder learning of French, German, Russian and other languages”. |
 Newspaper “Rabita Dunyasi” (World of Communication), an official publication of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology issued a special edition on re-lection of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, APA reports. Activity of the head of state in 2003-2008, the projects initiated by him and carried out under his leadership and large-scale activities promoting the dynamic development of the country were described in the newspaper, which also informed about the prospective projects, plans and goals planned for 2008-2013. |
 Azerbaijan Micro-Finance Association (AMFA) will participate at the 10th International Microfinance Summit in Washington on November 4-7. Jala Hajiyeva, Chief Executive Officer of Azerbaijan Micro-Finance Association, said the annual summit brings together representatives from all microfinance associations around the world. |
 International table tennis tournament has started in Khankendi, administrative center of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s territory occupied by Armenia. APA reports quoting Novosti-Armenia agency that sportsmen from several countries –Russia, France, Lebanon, Georgia and Armenia participate in the tournament. The opening ceremony of the tournament was held in the presence of Bako Saakyan, head of Nagorno-Karabakh separatists. The tournament will last for three days. The winners will receive money prize and precious presents. |
 Garabagh Liberation Organization issued a statement on the meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia by Russia’s mediation on November 2. According to the information received from the press service of Garabagh Liberation Organization the statement reads that Russia’s efforts to stir up mediation mission does not meet national interests of Azerbaijan. Also the activity of international organizations in the solution directions of the problem is condemned in the statement. |
 The main priorities of Azerbaijan’s state budget for 2009 will be social issues again, said Hadi Rajabli, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Commission on Social Policy. He added that about AZN 5 billion of the state budget will go to investments and 30% will be spent on social issues. He declined to express his opinion on the possible impact of low oil prices on the state budget. |
 The first draft of the E-Azerbaijan State Program (2009-2012) has been prepared, said Rufat Gulmammadov, Information Society Development Officer of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies. He added that special workgroup is working on the draft at present. The State Program for ICT Development (E-Azerbaijan) was approved by the President on October 21, 2005. |
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