Nation

CIS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PREPARING FOR COMMONWEALTH ANNIVERSARY

President Heydar Aliyev received the CIS Executive Secretary Yuri Yarov last week. Mr. Yarov had come to Baku to discuss the agenda of the CIS Summit scheduled for June 1 in Minsk, Belarus.

He said 23 issues are to be discussed by CIS prime ministers and foreign ministers prior to the meeting of Commonwealth presidents.

Mr. Yarov also indicated that CIS is turning 10 this year, with a conference dedicated to the anniversary currently in preparation.

Speaking highly of Mr. Yarov's work, President Aliyev said he had never before so thoroughly informed of the work done by the CIS Executive Committee.

BSEC FOREIGN MINISTERS TO MEET IN MOSCOW

A regular meeting of foreign ministers council of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization is due in Moscow Friday.

The meeting is expected to focus on organizational issues relating to Russia'a expired presidency in the Organization and opportunities of stepping up BSEC's work.

Azerbaijan will be represented by deputy foreign minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev.

UNDP LAUNCHES GLOBAL AND AZERBAIJAN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORTS

On 2 May 2000, presentation ceremony of the Global Human Development Report for 2000 and Azerbaijan Human Development Report (HDR) for 2000 will take place at 11:00 am in the Hyatt Regency Hotel (Guba Ball room).

Since 1990, the UN Development Program has been producing the HDR to explore major issues of global concern. The Azerbaijan HDR has been published since 1995 and has covered various aspects of human life and development under transition.

Like in the earlier editions of the Report, the 2000 edition shows that Azerbaijan's abundance of human and natural resources give the country tremendous capacity for human development. This potential is being translated into the modest economic growth of recent years. However, the challenge now is to make sure that the economic growth promotes development that is human centered and sustainable.

The ceremony will be led by Mr. Elchin Afandiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Mr Ercan Murat, UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Representative in Azerbaijan and attended by government officials, diplomatic corps, international and national NGOs, academia and media.

FOOT-AND-MOUTH VACCINATION INCOMPLETE

All livestock in Azerbaijan's bordering provinces has been inoculated with foot-and-mouth vaccines purchased from Russia's Foot-and Mouth Institute in Vladimir. Elsewhere in the republic, the vaccination covered only cattle.

Sheep and goats have not been completely vaccinated, amid ongoing search for funds needed to replenish the supply of vaccines, says deputy chief of the Veterinarian Department under the Ministry of Agriculture Emin Shahbazov.

According to him, the import of diary products from Turkey, Iran and Georgia was banned last year due to reported foot-and-mouth cases in these countries.

EARTHQUAKE HITS SOUTH-EAST AZERBAIJAN

A 3.5-point magnitude earthquake was registered 135 south-west of Baku at 9.34 p.m. on April 29, director of seismological center Arif Hasanov told Azernews Monday.

In Sabirabad, the quake measured 3 points and in Saatli it was 2.5. The quake was centered in Sarigol lake in the vicinity of Sabirabad.

No casualties and destruction are reported.

AZERI, BLACK SEA UNIVERSITIES START CO-OP

Representatives of the Union of Universities of Black Sea basin countries, professors from Constanza University of Romania Virgil Bryaban and Edep Mamu arrived in Baku Friday. The academics toured Azerbaijan Technical University Friday, where the parties decided to set up a regional office of the Union in Baku. On Saturday, the professors visited the University for Architecture and Construction to sign a cooperation agreement. Also to be held are negotiations at Baku State University and the Oil Academy.

The Union headquartered in Constanza aspires to assist Azeri educational institutions in bringing national education into conformity with European standards.

FAMILY PLANNING ISSUES IN TURKIC COUNTRIES DISCUSSED

Issues of growing a healthy generation, giving birth to wanted children, new ways of preventing unwanted pregnancy and reduction of female and children's mortality rate were discussed at a meeting of Turkic medical workers in Antalya, Turkey, a Ministry of Public Health spokesperson Tahira Afandiyeva told Azernews Saturday.

The discussion was held during the first international congress on reproductive health and family planning attended by 100 representatives of Turkic countries and 500 Turkish specialists.

Azerbaijan was represented by 7 doctors.

All expenses were assumed by Turkish Health Ministry.