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SPEAKER MEETS WITH TURKISH STATE MINISTER
By Saba Agayeva Azernews Staff Writer
Speaker of the Milli Mejlis Murtuz Alasgarov received a delegation led by Turkish state minister Rasad Dogru Thursday. The Azeri speaker said that Azeri-Turkish relations have reached the level of strategic partnership and hoped for their further promotion. Underscoring Turkey's unfailing support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, M. Alasgarov said that Azerbaijan always backs Turkey, especially to expose the allegations on the fabricated Armenian genocide.
The Turkish minister voiced satisfaction with the meetings in Baku, pledging to work for future expansion of bilateral social and economic relations.
R. Dogru indicated that Turkish companies have the greatest share in the investments in the non-oil sector. "These investments will augment in prospect", he said.
M. Alasgarov presented the Turkish official a book dedicated to the Armenian genocide, a medal emblem of the Milli Majlis, while writer Anar presented his new novel "Dada Gorgud". In his turn, R. Dogru made his gifts to the speaker.
RUSSIA, AZERBAIJAN EXPAND EDUCATION CO-OP
Visiting Russian minister signs for increasing Azeri students in Russia
The visiting Russian minister for education Vladimir Filipov signed two agreements with his Azeri counterpart, which would increase seats for Azeri students in Russia's higher schools.
The closer relations in education represent the next step in bilateral cooperation following the agreements the Azeri President signed during his Russian visit in late January.
Russian minister for education was visiting Baku last week to hold talks with his Azeri counterpart Misir Mardanov over prospects of further cooperation between the education ministries of the two nations.
The parties signed two agreements "On cooperation between the education ministries of Russia and Azerbaijan" and "On mutual recognition of education certificates and diplomas".
Joint university proposed
The visiting Russian minister has come up with an initiative of setting up a joint Russian-Azeri university. According to him, Russia has already founded similar universities with Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Byelorussia.
Russia is responsible to pay for teaching expenses, salaries and teaching effects, while the second party assumes leasing and utility payments of the joint university. Diplomas in such universities are issued by the education ministries of the two countries.
V. Filipov talked over the issue with Azeri Premier Rasizadeh Saturday.
Meetings
The Russian minister toured Baku Slavonic University Friday to meet students and teachers.
On the next day he, together with his Azeri counterpart, met with the Russian community in Azerbaijan at the Russian embassy. The meeting focused on teaching Russian in Azerbaijan, increasing the qualifications of Russian teachers and seats for Azeri students in Russia's institutions of higher education, the operation of branches of Russian universities in Azerbaijan, etc.
V. Filipov said that the quota for Azeri students studying free in Russia would be hiked three times this year to 70. Touching upon the activities of Russian universities in Azerbaijan, the Russian minister said that the Russian government is reducing their number due to the lack of funds, but would reconsider the issue viewing a good number of those who want to get Russian graduates.
A representative of the community of Avars, one of the national minorities in Azerbaijan, asked the ministers to heed teaching of the Avar language in some schools, where this ethnic group prevails.
M. Mardanov pledged he would visit the Gakh and Balakan region on February 11-12 and consider the proposal there.
110,000 on Russian education
There are 29 secondary Russian and 369 Russian-Azeri schools in Azerbaijan. 110 thousand pupils are getting education in Russian in these schools.
Russia supplied 112,000 textbooks in Russian to Azerbaijan for the academic year of 2001/2002, according to the Russian minister of education.
AZERBAIJAN TO PARTAKE IN INT'L SYMPOSIUM
An international symposium "Information technologies" is expected to take place in Brussels, Belgium on February 11-12. Representatives of the State Customs Committee and the National Confederation of Entrepreneurship Organizations of Azerbaijan are expected to participate in the gathering mounted by the World Trade Organization and the International Chamber of Commerce.
The symposium aims to exchange views on information technologies and e-commerce, to cement cooperation among customs departments, business circles, government officials and industrialists, the confederation said Tuesday.
MINE ACTION IN AZERBAIJAN - YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS
By Press Service of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action
The Mine Action Programme in Azerbaijan is a joint project of the Government of Azerbaijan and the UNDP implemented by Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA).
Parallel to addressing the demining needs of the local communities in the affected areas, efforts to build a sustainable national mine action capacity within Azerbaijan intensified during 2001.
With the technical and management support of UNDP, ANAMA managed to train national staff at headquarters and field level in managing various aspects of the operations. A number of ANAMA staff received senior management and information management training by reputable international training institutions including the Cranfield University in the UK and the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Mine Action Center.
"Parallel to the operation in the field to address mine action needs of local communities and support IDP return, ANAMA intensified its effort to build a sustainable national capacity during 2001." Said Nazim Ismaylov, Director of ANAMA. A national demining training team has been established, 30 additional deminers have been trained and arrangements have been finalized for establishing a nation mine detection dog capacity.
"National management and technical capacity building is progressing very well. ANAMA will establish a global record by developing a competent national mine action capacity sooner than any other mine affected country in the world" said Sayed Aqa the United Nations Chief Technical Advisor to ANAMA.
During 2001, the demining teams cleared a total of 800000 sqm of land in 9 villages in support of development projects and IDP return. During these operations a total of 1205 mines and un-exploded ordnance were located and destroyed. All the operations were conducted in accordance with national priorities and requests from local communities and aid organizations. An example could be clearance of explosive ordnance from a school in ex village of Goranboy region under reconstruction by ARRA (Azerbaijan Agency for rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Areas) or demining of Alkhanli village in Fizuli region requested by the IFRC to reconstruct houses for returning refugees.
All these activities were facilitated by support of government authorities and financial contribution of donor countries.
DOCUMENTARY ON CHF INTERNATIONAL
By Arslan Abbasov Azernews Contributor
The Visionaries TV company of the US with financial support from US CHF International is shooting a documentary on CHF activities in Azerbaijan.
A team of five led by Mary Still has filmed settlements of refugees and IDPs in Central and South Azerbaijan. The film will feature an interview with vice-premier, chairman of the State Committee on Refugees Ali Hasanov.
The team is expected to return to the States on February 4 to demonstrate the documentary in the US and Canada in May.
CHF International has been working in Azerbaijan since May 2000, implementing two programs, "Community employment and economic opportunities” and “Social investment initiative".
The organization is holding training in Sabirabad, Saatli, Imishli, Beylagan, Fuzuli, and Bilasuvar as part of the first program. The purpose is to enhance entrepreneurship activities and income generations.
CHF is working in Agdam, Ganja, Mingachevir, Terter, Yevlakh, Barda, Goranboy, Agjabadi, Baku and Sumgayit on the second program, implementing social investment projects and aiding Garabagh war affected people.
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Issue No.N-5 (239), 2002
President attends World Economic ForumPresident Aliyev denies his office extensionVice-speaker claims no commitments to release political prisonersAOIC hopes for soonest Caspian status resolutionNews digestNationParliament newsEcologyBusinessOil & gas news
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