News Digest

US declares Upper Qarabag as uncontrolled zone
Upper Qarabag was declared as uncontrolled zone at a report submitted to the White House by the US State Department intelligence commission on January 24. Henceforth, Upper Qarabag will be named decontrolled zone in official documents of the US State Department.
This information has been confirmed by the US embassy in Baku.
Decontrolled zone terms such areas as are home to international terrorist organizations and drug traffickers, and nuclear technologies transported through.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly raised an issue with international organizations that Upper Qarabaq and other occupied districts are used for drug trafficking, deploying terrorist groups and burying nuclear substances.

Ukrainian Defense Minister to visit Azerbaijan, Georgia
A delegation headed by Ukrainian Minister of Defense Vladimir Shkidchenko is expected to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan on January 30, according to Russian media. Vladimir Shkidchenko will hold talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Safar Abiyev. They are planned to sign a bilateral cooperation plan for 2003 between Azerbaijani and Ukrainian ministries of defense. Vladimir Shkidchenko is due to meet with Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev and Prime Minister Artur Rasizada.
The Ukrainian Minister of Defense is to leave Azerbaijan for Georgia and meet with Georgian Minister of Defense Devid Tevzadze on January 31.

Greek President expected in May
The Greek President, Konstantinos Stephanonulos, is expected to arrive in Azerbaijan on an official visit in May at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev to discuss opportunities for broadening political, economic and cultural relationships between the two nations. Regional economic projects, cooperation within international organizations and other issues will be on focus as well, the Greek embassy in Baku has told AssA-Irada.

US military delegation due
The US and Azerbaijan are expected to hold regular consultations in the security sphere in Baku late in February - early in March, according to a diplomatic source. For this purpose, a US military delegation is to arrive in Baku. Military officials of the two countries will mull issues on the establishment of regional peace and stability, the security of commercial-transport corridors, US assistance to Azerbaijan due to the waiver of the section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.
The US delegation will visit military units in Azerbaijan to get familiarized with their military-technical logistics.

Saudi King invites Azeri Speaker to Hajj pilgrimage
Azeri Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov received Saudi ambassador to Azerbaijan Ali Hasan Jafar. The Speaker said that Saudi Arabia supported Azerbaijan in all international organizations and stood by Azerbaijan as to the struggle for the territorial integrity of the country.
The ambassador told the Speaker that chairman of the Saudi parliament Saleh bin Abdulla bin Humeydin had accepted Murtuz Alasgarov's invitation to visit Azerbaijan as the Saudi Speaker would arrive in Baku late in February.
Besides, Ali Hasan Jafar handed Saudi King Fahd's invitation to Murtuz Alasgarov calling him for the Hajj pilgrimage. He said such invitations had been sent to the speakers of all Muslim nations. The King is expected to meet them during the pilgrimage.

Weather to get wet
Baku and Abseron peninsular is predicted to be rainy, while snow and wet snow are forecast elsewhere over January 28-30. Temperature will be +60C with a slight northern wind. Weather will be dry on January 30-31 with temperature rising to +9-110C. The speed of the northern wind will reach 16-17 m/sec, the weather service has told AssA-Irada.