News digest

AZERIS PICKET IRANIAN EMBASSY IN STOCKHOLM

Participants of the fifth Congress of World Azerbaijanis in Sweden picketed, together with Azeris living in the Scandinavian country, the Iranian embassy in Stockholm, demanding an end to Iran's policy of aggression against Azerbaijan.

The Congress, attended by a delegation of 30-35 from Azerbaijan, decided to announce May 8, the day of Shusha occupation, as the Day of Refugees, Civil Unity Party said in a statement Monday.

Presiding at the Congress was the party's chairman MP Igbal Agazadeh.

The Congress was followed by a festival of Azeri culture and arts.

NEW PARTY SET UP

The main objective of a new Muslim Democratic Party (MDP) is to explain the Islamic science, philosophy and morale to the people, chairman of the MDP organizing committee Mirmehdi Guliyev told a news briefing last week.

He said he had been a member of the Azerbaijan Islamic Party before, but dropped out of it after the arrest of its leaders in 1998.

Mr. Guliyev indicated that whoever his party supports in the next presidential election would win. He also announced that his party would do its utmost to hamper the spread of Wahabism and Christianity in Azerbaijan.

NATIONAL CONSERVATORY BEING SET UP

President Aliyev decreed Friday to establish the necessary material and technical logistics for setting up the Azerbaijan National Conservatory. Under the decree, the Ministry of Education is to ensure the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Conservatory and inclusion of the Musical College and Arts Gymnasium into it within ten days. The Ministry for Economic Development has been instructed to provide a building for the Conservatory.

Siyavush Karimli has been appointed as rector of the Conservatory.