News Digest

116 alleged political prisoners pardoned
Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev has issued pardons for 116 prisoners. According to the Presidential Administration press service, those pardoned include 36 people convicted of crimes against the independence, statehood and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, while the others were members of illegal armed factions sentenced for participating in a coup attempt in the Ganca region of Azerbaijan in 1994 and members of former special police forces OMON convicted for involvement in an attempt to forcibly take power in Baku, Qazax and Agstafa in 1995. 16 pardoned prisoners are those who organized or took part in actions violating public order in Saki District in November 2000. There are one Russian and two Pakistani nationals among those pardoned.

Security tightened at subway stations
To address possible terror threats, security measures have been stepped up at the Baku metro. According to Tagi Nagiyev, head of the metro, video surveillance cameras are being installed to observe passengers in entrances and wagons. These cameras costing $6,500-7,000 are imported from Dubai. The subway police are currently equipped with Roter metal-detecting devices of. Necessary efforts are made to prevent attempts to set off explosives in stations. Tagi Ahmadove called n passengers to be vigilant and watch one another, emphasizing their important role in ensuring security at the subway.

Economic ministry to draw up investment map
The press service of the Ministry of Economic Development has informed AssA-Irada that the ministry will start to draw up an investment map of Azerbaijan, to show districts of the country and investment demands of facilities located there. The main objective of drawing up the investment map is to make interested companies aware of investment needy areas of Azerbaijan.

Armenia loses world chess championship to Azerbaijan
An international chess championship will be held in Azerbaijan for the first time later this year. President of the Azerbaijani Chess Federation, MP Aynur Sofiyeva has told AssA-Irada that Armenia was initially intended to host this event. A FIDE congress, which was convened within the framework of a worldwide chess contest in Slovenia in November last year, decided to relocate the championship from Armenia to Azerbaijan. This decision has to do with Azerbaijan's appeal first of all. In spite of objections from Armenia, it was ruled that Azerbaijan host the championship in June. 
This reputable event will be organized not in Baku, but in Naxcivan, at the initiative of the organizing committee. Preparatory works for the championship are already under way.

US embassy launches latest round of small grants program
The Embassy of the United States of America in Azerbaijan announced the next round of the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program. The opening will extend from March 3 - April 4, 2003, the US embassy has informed AssA-Irada.
The purpose of the Democracy Commission Small Grants program is to award small grants for specific projects that support the development of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan.  Primarily, grants will be awarded to non-governmental, non-profit organizations (NGOs), but other educational and community organizations may be eligible to apply.
For this round, Azerbaijani organizations are invited to submit project proposals to fulfill the following projects on voter participation, expanded cooperation among domestic NGOs, stimulating grass roots of market economy, independent media, and elections.