LAST WEEK IN AZERBAIAN -WEEK 29

Azerbaijan’s Governing Party Completes Preparation for Congress Trendaz.com
Azerbaijan Social-Democratic Party planning to hold plenum to define candidate for presidency Today.Az
Leader of Azerbaijan's Exclave Starts Visit to Iran iStockAnalyst
EU to support Azerbaijan on justice in 2008 and on agriculture in 2009 within ENP Abc.az
Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan oil & gas conference to be held in Baku on September 9-11 Abc.az
Azerbaijan’s Justice Ministry Approves Changes in Press Council’s Charter; Press Council of Azerbaijan Develops New Document on Presidential Elections Trendaz.com
Gazprom and Azerbaijan to start talks on gas sales RIA Novosti
Iran President Praises Ties With Azerbaijan iStockAnalyst
For last 10 years Azerbaijan demined 314,000 mines Abc.az

The New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) is in top gear preparation for it fourth congress. The local units of the party have held various conferences at it chapter outlet in readiness for the national congress. The NAP is presently the governing party in the republic of Azerbaijan.

The congress is in preparation for the upcoming presidential election in the Azerbaijan republic to be held on the 15th of October, 2008. it is anticipated to unveil the party presidential candidate, the incumbent president Ilham Aliyev, who is also the NAP Chairman. Interstingly, Iham Aliyev has been the chairman of the NAP for 14 years after it was established by the late Heydar Aliyev.

On the other hand, the opposition party of Social-Democratic Party is planning to hold its own plenum later at the end of July. However the party has had series of in house issues to put in place in other to give a deserving challenge to the ruling party which already enjoys a broad base.

Opposition parties in Azerbaijan still need a lot of catching up to do in other to be worthy challengers to the NAP who has a large number of supports. Although many opposition parties have stated that their inability to compete is due to government systematic effort to suppress the activities of oppositions.

According to IRNA report from Iran, the Azerbaijan officials from the Naxcivan Autonomous Republic visited Iran on the 13th of July. The Supreme council representative of the enclave, Vasif Talibov was received at the Jolfa border by the Jolfa governor.

The Azerbaijan representative was visiting Iran based on the invitation of the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The Azerbaijan Supreme council representative will also meet with the governor-general of East Azarbayjan Province in Tabriz, senior officials in Tehran and discuss ways of expanding bilateral relations.

Tabriz is an Eastern Province in the Iran with predominantly Azerbaijanis. The province was originally an Azerbaijan territory but was ceded to Iran based on a joint agreement between Iran and Russia after the end of the war that involved both state.

The Naxcivan Autonomous Republic comprises in its population about 96 percent of Azerbaijanis, the rest are Russians and Tatars and 1.1 per cent of its population are of Kurdish origin. The roads and railways of this republic had been closed by the Republic of Armenia following the war between the Azerbaijani Republic and Armenia over Nagornyy Karabakh.

The Minster of Economic Development in Azerbaijan, Heydar Babayev in conjunction with Kaido Sirel, the Director of the EuroAID Directorate General in Azerbaijan has revealed during a recent briefing on the implementation of the National Action Plan within the European Neighborhood Program (ENP) for 2007-10, that the budget assigned to energy sector for 2007 will be channeled to Justice and Agriculture for 2008 and 2009 respectively.

The Program budget for 2007 is EUR19 million, including EUR13 million for budget support (to be directed to energy sector), EUR1 million for technical assistance of budget support, and EUR5 million for twinning program of Azerbaijan departments.

Budget support includes three tranches (EUR3 million, EUR5 million and EUR5 million) within three years. By the end of the year the first tranche can be given. It will be directed to develop renewable energy, including appropriate technical, institutional, and legislative measures.

The European Commission and the Azerbaijani government have determined themselves with the priorities of European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) 2007-10 within the framework of National Action Plan 2007-13. ENP with total budget of EUR 92 million stipulates by EUR30 million for democracy and economic reforms in private sector. Another EUR32 million will be directed for infrastructure (transport, environment protection, etc). In 2007 ENP financing will amount EUR19 million, in 2008 – EUR22 million and will grow year-by-year.

The Azerbaijan Justice Ministry has rectified and approved the improved Charter of the Azerbaijan Press Council. This was revealed to the media by the Chairman of the Press Council, Aflatun Amashov.

The changes in the new Charter include four years tenure for executive members; formally it was two years. Also, the bound preventing Press Council member from taking the same position in central structures more than two times was removed.

The Azerbaijan Press Council was established in March 15th, 2003 and since then Aflatun Amashov has been the Council Chairman. Just recently, he was elected for a new tenure as chairman; in the same election, Umud Mirzayev, Chairman of International Eurasia Press Fund and Mushfig, chairman of Journalist Union were elected as Deputies.
In a separate release by the Press Council, there is effort to involve all political parties and press bodies in agreeing for a code of conducts and ethics towards a smooth conduct of the upcoming elections. The Press Council has express satisfaction with this approach in the 2003 elections and has hope to get better satisfaction this time around.

The National Mine Clearing Agency (ANAMA) has marked its 10-year activity anniversary.
ANAMA has reported that up to date it has cleared 70.5 million sq m of territory from mines. It has demined 314,140 mines and other explosive devices.

The National Mine Clearing Agency (ANAMA) was established in 1998 in compliance with a relevant presidential decree। Since 1999 ANAMA jointly with UN Development Programme has been implementing Mine Danger Liquidating Programme. Up today it was cleared 43 million sq m of the territories from mines.

Last year 6,000 people suffered from mines in the world। Every year within the framework of implemented programs it is cleared more than 100 sq m of the lands. Mine danger exists at least in 68 countries.

The ANAMA carries out its function on about 18-20 million sq m annually in Fizuli, Terter, Tovuz, Agdam Geranboy, Khojavend, Agjabedi, Agstafa and other regions of Azerbaijan.