Nation

FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT SOUTH AFRICA

Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev is expected to attend an international conference on racial discrimination and other forms of racial intolerance due in Durban, SAR, from August 31 till September 7. The conference will also be attended by heads of state and government from many countries. Minister Guliyev has been invited by South African Republic's Foreign Ministry.

AZERI DELEGATION TO ATTEND ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE

Ways of preventing corruption, improving the effectiveness of national, regional and local anti-corruption policies, stepping up combat against economic crimes and money laundering are the core issues on the agenda of an international conference scheduled for October -10 in Prague. Participants will also consider the contribution of mass media, academic and cultural organizations to the anti-corruption movement.

The conference will be attended by representatives of the Azerbaijan parliament, Cabinet ministries, etc.

IRAN FRUSTRATED WITH US SUPPORT FOR AZERBAIJAN

Iranian Foreign Ministry representative Mr. Asifi has described the statement by a the US State Department spokesman Philip Richards, whereby the diplomat accused Iran of violating Azerbaijan's air frontiers, as an attempt to exert pressure on the region. According to him, speaking of the economic effectiveness of the Baku-Ceyhan project, the USA is actually inflicting a serious blow on the Azerbaijan economy.

Also criticizing Iran yesterday was Georgia, as Foreign Minister Irakliy Menagarishvili said in Baku that his country was concerned with a recent wave of confrontation in the Caspian Sea.

ECAO STATEMENT CAUSES OUTRAGE IN AZERBAIJAN

A statement by the chairman of the European Civil Aviation Organization (ECAO) Alfredo Roma in Yerevan concerning the upcoming discussion in Paris of the possibility of establishing air communication with the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh Republic has provoked an utter public indignation in Azerbaijan.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Civil Unity Party says it is unacceptable to establish any contacts with the separatist government of the Upper Garabagh region of Azerbaijan until and unless the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict is resolved. The Azerbaijan authorities must take measures necessary to prevent this.

PAPAL NUNCIO IN BAKU

A representative of the Pope of Rome John Paul the Second in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, Archbishop Peter Zubriggen handed a copy of his credential to Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev. During their meeting, the Azeri Minister informed the nuncio of the Garabagh settlement process. Touching upon the Papal visit to Armenia upcoming in September, he said the people of Azerbaijan are not particularly happy with the visit to be paid to one of the parties to the conflict, which has been recognized as aggressor.

Archbishop agreed with the minister's remark, saying that the Pope's visit to Azerbaijan is still on agenda. The ambassador added that although his residency is in Tbilisi, he permanently follows on the developments in Azerbaijan. He then voiced a hope for a soonest solution to the conflict.

The parties also spoke of the problems of the Catholic community in Azerbaijan.