Parliament news

MPs IN DEMBLOC MAY REACH 15

The number of MPs in the Democratic Congress may increase from 11 to 15, chairman of the PFPA reform wing Ali Karimov told AssA-Irada Friday.

According to him, negotiations with two former Musavat and two one-time PNIA members are underway to include them in the bloc. The four have been ousted from their parties for ignoring the decision banning participation in the parliament.

STATUS OF SERVICEMEN BEING AMENDED

The permanent parliamentary commission on security and defense issues decided Saturday to put the draft law "On amending some legislative acts" into discussion at the Milli Mejlis. The amendments are expected to come in keeping with the enforcement of the law "On reimbursing damage, inflicted to physical entities as a result of illegal acts by investigating bodies, preliminary investigation, the Prosecutor's office and the court".

The members of the commission spoke in favor of amending the law "On the status of servicemen". According to the new draft, the damage, caused to the military by the mentioned bodies, is to be recompensed in accordance with the legislation.

AZERI MPs TO VISIT UK

A 4-member parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan is expected to visit the UK from March 15 till 20, a member of the permanent parliamentary commission on international relations and inter-parliamentary contacts, a MP Nasira Shahtakhtinskaya told AssA-Irada Saturday.

According to her, the visit will be paid on the invitation of the "Lings" organization to take part in seminars, due in London and Oxford. Besides Azeri MPs, Georgian and Armenian parliamentarians are also expected to attend the seminars, dedicated to South Caucasus problems.

The delegation will make efforts for recognition of the genocide of Azerbaijanis by Armenians during the visit.

MP ADVOCATES FOR SWIFT LATIN SCRIPT SHIFT

The transition from Cyrillic alphabet to Latin script should be made at least for a year, a MP Mubariz Gurbanli told AssA-Irada Saturday.

It is noteworthy that the speaker of the Milli Mejlis Murtuz Alasgarov instructed M. Gurbanli to prepare a draft bill on shift to Latin alphabet at a parliamentary session of March 6.

According to Mr. Gurbanli, the transition should be mandatory and all editions in the country will have to come out in Latin script in a year.

The parliamentary act on transition from Cyrillic to Latin alphabet was adopted in 1992.

MPs FURIOUS OVER US SD REPORT

An MP from pro-governmental "Ana Vatan" party Zahid Oruj demanded at a parliamentary session Tuesday that the speaker of the Milli Mejlis file a complaint to the US Department of State for the human rights report for 2001.

Mr. Oruj thinks that though the report admits the occupation of 20% of Azeri lands by Armenians, the document contains some false remarks in connection with Azerbaijan. As the takeover of power in 1993 has been described in the report as non-democratic. The document, as Mr. Oruj believes, alleges the presence of some 50 political prisoners in the country and reduces the number of those pardoned to date to 300 inmates.

However, speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said that he had not been acquainted with the report yet. Therefore, he couldn't do anything so far. "But we will apply to the state department, if needed", he said.

SPEAKER SAYS AZERBAIJAN HAS MILITARY DOCTRINE

The speaker of the Milli Mejlis Murtuz Alasgarov derided the opposition assault on the authorities as to the lack of a military doctrine, saying that the country has the one, which will be drawn on as soon as necessary. However, the speaker thinks that it is not wise to publicize it. "Otherwise, the international community will think that we are eager for war", he said.

Meanwhile, President Aliyev is to forward the military doctrine to the parliament for approval.