Nation

ARMENIAN MPs ADMIT OCCUPATION OF AZERI LAND

Armenian MPs have admitted that Armenia has occupied 8% of Azerbaijan's territory, saying, however, that Upper Garabagh is not a part of Azerbaijan.

This was announced Friday by four Azeri MPs who attended the "Caucasus and Europe" seminar organized by British organization "Links" in London on March 15-17.

According to the chairman of the permanent commission on international relations and inter-parliamentary contacts Samad Seyidov, Armenian MPs admitted the fact of occupation of Azeri territories in the House of Lords, House of Commons and at a meeting with COE representatives.

Mr. Seyidov added that British parliamentarians and COE officials support Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

PRESIDENT CALLS ON WELL-TO-DO TO INVEST IN SPORTS

President Aliyev attended the inaugural ceremony of a newly-built administrative building of the National Olympic Committee. Having toured the structure built in a modern style, the President congratulated all Azeri sportsmen. He spoke highly of the NOC contribution to the development of Azeri sports and performance of national athletes in international competitions. He also pointed out with some satisfaction that the Azerbaijan NOC is represented in Olympic Committees of Europe and the world. Mentioning that one of the key objectives of the government is to develop sports, the head of state said this could significantly contribute to prevention of drug trafficking, which causes irreparable damage to the social health.

H. Aliyev then urged the wealthy people of Azerbaijan to invest in the development of sports.

COE CLAIMS PRESENCE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS

COE Human Rights Committee meeting in Strasbourg March 5-6 claims the presence of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. The committee report elaborates that there are 810 people held on political grounds.

This was announced in parliament Friday by the deputy chairperson of the permanent commission on international relations and inter-parliamentary contacts Gultakin Hajiyeva.

She attended the session together with Mr. Gulamhussein Aliyev, an MP representing the PFPA reformers.

Mrs. Hajiyeva said she had informed the Committee that there were no political prisoners in Azerbaijan, while the G. Aliyev said the figure stood at 52.

The report claiming the presence of 810 political prisoners in Azerbaijan was forwarded to the Committee by Azeri NGOs.

EX-POW COMMITS SUICIDE

The Armenian Snark agency quoted the Yerevan-based "Voice of Armenia" newspaper as reporting that the former Armenian POW Tiko Tikoyan has committed a suicide. The newspaper alleged that the reasons for the suicide were tortures Tikoyan faced in Azeri captivity and the resulting psychological breakdown.

The Azeri state committee on captives, hostages and missing people threw some light on the issue Monday. A committee statement says, "A native of the Tiza village of Armenian Aragats province, Tiko Tikoyan, 31, enlisted in 1998 and was sent to a Azerbaijan-bordering military unit. On May 30, 2000 he willingly gave in to Azeri military in Gazakh province. Tikoyan said his deliberate act was because of that he had been rudely treated, repeatedly beaten and insulted in the Armenian army.

The statement proves that Tikoyan was willing to flee to Azerbaijan as far back as in June 1999, but did not manage to overstep mined areas. Seeking asylum in Azerbaijan upon surrender, Tikoyan warned against being slain in case he returned to Armenia. Then, his willing surrender was reported to the IRC. While in a detention cell of the jail of the Ministry for National Security, Tikoyan was under the control of the IRC Baku representation.

Tiko Tikoyan together with another Armenian captive Misha Muradyan was exchanged for Azeri POWs in Armenia through the IRC on July 28. The statement maintains that the reasons for the suicide, that came 9 months after release should be looked for not in Azerbaijan, but in Armenia proper.

PAKISTAN MARKS NATIONAL DAY

Pakistani embassy in Azerbaijan organized an official reception at Hyatt Regency Hotel of Baku on the occasion of National Day Friday. Attending the reception was chairman of the Milli Mejlis Murtuz Alasgarov, Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev, Turkish, French, Saudi, Iraqi, Iranian, Indian, Turkmen, Uzbek ambassadors, diplomats accredited in Azerbaijan, former US ambassador Stanley Escudero, and public figures.

Pakistani ambassador to Azerbaijan Asma Anisa spoke, in her remarks, of the historical ties between Azerbaijan and Pakistan and the importance of further boosting bilateral relations.

"Pakistan’s relations with Azerbaijan are based on deeply rooted social, cultural and historical affinity. Both our countries lie on the path of the ancient Silk Route, which has created a blend of populations and traditions", Miss Anisa said.

The ambassador also highlighted the unity of the two countries’ international positions.

"Pakistan and Azerbaijan share common perceptions on a wide range of international and regional issues and support each other’s positions at international fora", she said.

Ms. Anisa added that her mission in Azerbaijan was coming to an end and that she would soon leave the country.

The ambassador expressed her appreciation for the warm hospitality and friendly cooperation she had received in Azerbaijan. She spoke highly of the Azeri friends whose friendship she "will forever cherish". Ms. Anisa commended her highly professional diplomatic colleagues, who she said were a source of inspiration in the execution of her duties.

Mr. Alasgarov indicated that Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, that Islamabad always supports Azerbaijan in international organizations and permanently develops bilateral cooperation. The parliament speaker also spoke highly of the contribution of ambassador Anisa and wished her further success in her career.

MUNICIPAL COMPETITION RESUMES IN EARNEST

687 people have applied for 309 vacant seats in municipal councils. The Friday meeting of the Central Election Commission discussed the course of preparation for municipal elections due on April 27. The CEC secretary Gudrat Hasanguliyev said the commission members had found no problems with pre-election situation.

The election will be held in 43 of 83 election territories. Candidates are to submit signature sheets to the CEC before April 2. The government has already allocated funds for the election.

TURKEY ALLOTS 60 SEATS TO AZERI STUDENTS

Registration of applications for education in Turkey started on March 24 at admission commissions in Baku, Sumgayit, Ganja, Mingachevir, Shaki, Goychai, Ali-Bayramli, Lankaran, Guba, and Nakhchivan and is expected to last till April 14, a source from the state commission on student admission told Azernews Monday.

This year, 60 seats have been allotted to Azeri students. Entry exams will be taken in Baku and Nakhchivan on April 29, while names of the future students published in the "Matriculant" magazine.

CHERNOBYL VETERANS ADDRESS PRESIDENT

Azeri veterans of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe appealed to President Aliyev Tuesday on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the tragedy at the atomic power plant on April 26.

Authors of the appeal ask for assistance in conducting the activities being organized by the Union of the Chernobyl Veterans. They indicate a need to pay due attention to the health of the disabled and their children and suggest that a monument to the deceased Union members be erected.

Chairman of the Union Mirhasan Hasanov told AssA-Irada Tuesday that 6,000 Azeris were involved in the relief operations in Chernobyl, of whom 1,000 have already died (largely aged between 27 and 30).

PERFUMES DE FRANCE AIDS HANDICAPPED KIDS

Perfumes de France is expected to hold a charity action for the handicapped children Tuesday. The action will take place at children's asylum #7 in Sarayi settlement outside Baku.

Organization support has been provided by Anadolu restaurants. The event will be attended by Azeri pop stars Elmira Alakbarzadeh, Zulfiya Khanbabayeva, Almaz Alasgarova, Manana, Samir Bagirov, and Amil Hasanoglu.

FIRE ACCIDENT DOWNTOWN BAKU

In the early hours of Thursday, at 3.31 a.m., fire erupted on the roof of a three-storey building on 28 May street. The blaze was put out at 7.38 a.m. No injuries and casualties are reported in any of the 18 apartments of the building.

1,000 of 2,500 square meters of the roofing has been destroyed by the fire, which luckily did not affect adjacent buildings, a source from the state fire security department told Azernews Thursday.

PR CENTER SET UP

A public relations center has been set up under the Ministry for Interior Fire Security section. A news conference Monday focused on the role of the public and mass media in fire security issues in the country.

Head of the center, Lieutenant-Colonel Aghali Ismayilov, deputy chief of the fire security section Colonel Azad Samadov and others pointed to the lack of fire fighting means, difficulties of work in oil bases, tall buildings and underground. Specialists underscored that Azerbaijan is behind international fire-fighting standards due to financial constraints. The situation is particularly deplorable on the countryside, which leads to greater damage.

HOW TO NURTURE ECOLOGISTS

A regional meeting on ecological education, to be attended by representatives of Central Asian republics and Azerbaijan, is underway in Almaty with the assistance of UNESCO, according to the president of the socio-ecological center "EcoSphere" Firuza Soltanzadeh. The purpose of the event is to discuss ways of teaching ecology in secondary and higher schools. Azerbaijan will be represented by Mrs. Soltanzadeh and a Ministry of Education official.

INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL DAY MARKED

Every year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) celebrates the day of enactment of the WMO Convention, March 23, 1950, as the International Meteorological Day. The topic of the Day in the year 2001 is the "Weather, water, climate and volunteers", which has been chosen in keeping with the UN announcement of the year 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers. Volunteer activities cover a wide range of work, from precipitation observations to those of synoptic, climatic and meteorological stations. The outcome of such activities is applied in such weather-dependent sectors as agriculture, water economy, aviation and navigation, says a news release from the WMO secretary general Godwin O. P. Obasi.