Nation

Time works for Azerbaijan - German ambassador

German Ambassador to Azerbaijan Claus Grevlich said in a meeting with Azeri Vice-Premier, chairman of the State Committee on Refugees Ali Hasanov that time works for Azerbaijan, which favoring a negotiated solution is backed by international organizations.

The Azeri Vice-Premier thanked the ambassador for the assistance of German Diakoni and the German Technical Cooperation Organization, highly appreciating Germany's fair support for Azerbaijan.

The German diplomat regretted the truth about Azerbaijan hasn't reached the international arena. He noted the progress of President Aliyev's activities despite misinformation by the Armenian embassy in Berlin and lobbies in the US.

UNESCO to enlist Azeri artifacts

The Ministry of Culture will send UNESCO the documents of historic and cultural monuments in Saki, Ordubad and Susa provinces of Azerbaijan, including historic castles along the Caspian Sea to have its artifacts registered in the World Heritage Center.

Data on Qobustan preserve, Atasgah temple, as well as Momina Xatun, Yusif ibn Kuseyr, Qarabaglar and Gulustan mausoleums were earlier sent to the center. The Old City of Baku has already been included in the list of the UNESCO World Heritage.

More condemnations for Qarabag “elections”

In the aftermath of the 11 August “presidential elections” in the breakaway Azeri region of Qarabag, two more states, the Ukraine and Pakistan have joined the international condemnation of the “elections”.

The Ukrainian embassy in Baku Boris Alexenko voiced his nation’s full support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in a news conference Wednesday.

He said Ukraine’s stance towards the settlement of the Upper Qarabag conflict is unchangeable.

"We adhere to the resolution of the conflict under the principles of the OSCE Lisbon summit, provision of territorial integrity, allocation of self-administration status to Upper Qarabag, and provision of security in the region", the diplomat stressed.

Pakistani ambassador to Baku Faiz Mohammed Khoso presented to Azeri Foreign Minister Friday his government’s letter condemning the "presidential elections" in the Armenia-occupied Upper Qarabag region of Azerbaijan.

"The Pakistani government denounces the "elections" as contradicting international norms and principles and backs Azerbaijan in the Qarabag conflict, supporting its sovereignty and territorial integrity", the letter reads.

Libya seeks Azeri support for UN seat

Azeri Foreign Minister Vilayat Quliyev received the Baku Office Secretary of the People's Bureau of the Great Libyan Arab People's Socialist Republic Nasir Mohammed Abdu Al-Sami Friday. Touching upon the development of bilateral relations, the Libyan diplomat stressed the importance of setting up an intergovernmental economic commission to expand bilateral cooperation.

The envoy said the 59th session of the UN General Assembly would nominate his country for a seat in the UN Human Rights Committee, underlining that the Foreign Ministers' Council of the African Union and the Islamic Conference Organization have already approved the move.

Mr. Al-Sami hoped for Azeri support in this issue and forwarded to Mr. Quliyev the letter of his country's Foreign Minister.

Highly appreciating Libya's initiative, the Azeri Minister expressed his confidence in the strengthening of bilateral relations and development of cooperation in different spheres, hoping that Libya, in its turn, will back Azerbaijan within the framework of the UN.

EU holds project workshop

The European Union has organized a workshop on the implementation of the agreement on partnership and cooperation with Azerbaijan as part of special Tacis projects at the Ganclik recreation and entertainment center in Zagulba, outside Baku.

The first day of the gathering "Trade marks and unfair competition" centered on the combat against irregularities concerning industrial property and the problems with faked products. Reports were made on marketing a number of goods imported into Azerbaijan, food, clothes, medicaments and perfumery with false trade marks, as well as falsification of bar codes. The sale of a commodity under two brand names was also explained.

The second day of the workshop "Combat against international piracy" focused on the protection of copyrights legislation in Azerbaijan in conformity with European standards and measures against law violations. Discussions were held on documents introduced by the National Agency for Copyrights.

Delivering speeches in the event were EU experts Hendelen Marcus, Marion Gut, as well as representatives of relevant local organizations.

The workshop closed Thursday.

Iran neglects historic finds

By Gulara Yenisey Azernews Contributor

Iran seems to neglect the recent archaeological finds in its territory.

Skeletons that archeologists say date 4000 years have been found at the very center of Tabriz, a city in South Azerbaijan, Iran. They were found accidentally when old houses were pulled down for constructing a new trade center.

Constructors decided to destroy the ancient graves they had run into for commercial interests. Some of the skeletons were wiped out under bulldozers. But, one of the dismissed workers later revealed the secret.

Further excavations made by archeologists detected 9 more skeletons. The most interesting is the skeleton of a man and a woman, which lie in the grave in a very strange position, face to face, forehead to forehead, knee to knee.

The skeletons of this couple are now demonstrated at the Archeological Museum in Tabriz. But, other skeletons had been left in their former place under the open until recently and the area needs elaborate investigations.

In fact, the skeletons are abandoned and forgotten. In the same place the construction of the trade center is going on. The Tabriz municipality and the appropriate bodies have been called to stop the construction immediately for further excavations to resume.

In another South Azeri city in Iran, Ahar, 70 kilometers off Tabriz, many ancient graves are waiting for being investigated. The antiquities in these graves are stolen and sold to abroad.

Occupation date of two provinces

23 August saw the ninth year of occupation of two Azeri provinces, Cabrayil and Fizuli by Armenian armed forces in 1993, as the date has taken a wide space in media.

Some political party leaders, refugees and IDPs paid tribute to the Cemetery of Martyrs Friday, offering prayers and laying flowers in a move initiated by the opposition minded Qarabag Liberation Organization.

In another move, uprooted people from Fzuli and Cabrayil, as well as other provinces held a protest action in front of a dormitory in Baku's Yasamal district, chanting "We are ready to free our lands" and "No to territory exchange". The protesters condemned entertainment programs on occupation days and burned down an Armenian flag.

Fizuli province has a territory of 1390 square kilometers and a population of 140,000 people. 90,000 of them are internally displaced, while the rest lives in the liberated 22 villages.

Only one village of Cabrayil, with a thousand square kilometers and 61,000 inhabitants, has been freed from Armenian seizure.

Baku to host int'l congress of rectors

The second congress of the Black Sea Universities will be held in Baku on 11-14 September with representatives from 11 countries to discuss provision of high quality at universities. Also on the agenda are setting up of an association of the Black Sea universities and election of its new president, a source from Baku State University has said.

The incumbent President of the association is Turkish Professor Suha Sevik.

Ukraine marks 11th year of independence

The Ukraine is marking the 11th anniversary of its independence on 24 August, Ukrainian ambassador to Azerbaijan Boris Alexenko told a news conference Wednesday.

A new constitution was adopted and the country got rid of the totalitarian regime after the Supreme Rada, the Ukrainian parliament announced state independence on 24 August 1991. Gradually reducing the nuclear stockpile, the Ukraine has become a rapidly growing economy with a sound financial and banking system.

Mr. Alexenko said his country had forged diplomatic relations with 164 nations and operated 67 diplomatic missions abroad. Being a member of many international organizations, the Ukraine is willing to live up to the standards of peace and partnership, he stressed.

On the Ukraine's decade long relations with Azerbaijan, the diplomat said the two nations had signed 87 treaties and intergovernmental agreements and noted the role of their presidents in deepening the ties.

Three metro stations to be revived in 2003

The Sahil station, which was closed on 16 August for repair, resumed receiving passengers Friday, chief of the Tunnel Equipment Service of the Baku Metro Department Arif Rasulov told AssA-Irada. According to him, three more stations, 28 May, Baki Soveti and Elmlar Akademiyasi, are expected to undergo overhaul in 2003, as this year's budget doesn't allow prompt repair.

Second web site on Azeri movies

The Guild of Professional Film Directors will launch a second web site on Azeri films in January 2003, its designer, film director Samil Aliyev, who is also the author of the first web site, www.cinema.aznet.org that appeared in January this year, has told AssA-Irada. The new site will include the history of Azeri filmmaking, data on renowned film directors, cameramen and actors, with breaking news updates.