News digest

AZERBALIQ STATE CONCERN ABOLISHED

President Aliyev decreed Wednesday to abolish the "AzerBaliq" state concern, while its enterprises and organizations, outside those bound for privatization, have come under control of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.

60 "AzerBaliq" enterprises were put at the Ministry's possession for denationalization under a presidential decree dated March this year. 10 of these enterprises have been converted into joint stock companies ready for privatization.

SAUDI ARABIA CONDEMNS TERRORISM

The terror attacks in the US were denounced in a meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia presided by King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on September 17, the Saudi Arabian embassy in Azerbaijan said in a statement Saturday. The King reaffirmed that his country is sympathetic to the US in combat against all kinds of terror and denied any connection of the attacks to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabian minister for information Fuad bin Abdussalam Al-Farizi said that the Ministerial Council thanked US President Bush for the understanding he had displayed in a meeting with the Saudi crown prince, who called on the US President to halt the attempts of some US media to direct public sentiments against Muslims and Arabs living in the States.

IRAQI EMBASSY RELEASES SADDAM HUSSEIN's LETTER

Iraqi embassy in Azerbaijan released Saturday its President Saddam Hussein's second letter to the peoples and governments of western countries. The letter says that without hard evidence, the US is accusing some Arabic nations and Muslim organizations and individuals of the terror attacks. Meanwhile, it is not clear if these attacks are internal or external. President Hussein alleges that Bush's accusations are directed against Islam and are intended to embroil Muslims and Christians. The Iraqi President calls on the US to think 'over and again' before retaliating.

AZERI-EU CO-OP COUNCIL TO MEET SHORTLY

A meeting of the Azerbaijan-EU cooperation council is due in Luxembourg on October 30, as the parties are expected to center on prospects of economic cooperation, according to a diplomatic source.

The Azeri delegation will be led by foreign minister Vilayat Guliyev.