Protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and their implications for international peace, security and development to be discussed at the UN General Assembly session on 7 December 2006

MEDIA AZERI BROADCASTING COUNCIL CLOSES ANS TV AND ANS CM RADIO AZERI TV WATCHDOG JUSTIFIES DECISION TO TAKE PRIVATE COMPANY OFF AIR CLOSED AZERI BROADCASTER APPEALS TO PRESIDENT FOR HELP OSCE OFFICE CONDEMNS CLOSURE OF PRIVATE TV BROADCASTER IN AZERBAIJAN MOST POPULAR AZERI COMMERCIAL BROADCASTER TAKEN OFF AIR COURT RULES TO EVICT AZERI OPPOSITION DAILY PRESIDENT'S REACTION TO MEDIA SITUATION REPORT FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AUTHORITIES SHUT DOWN TV STATION AND EVICT TWO NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS AGENCY IN CRACKDOWN ON INDEPENDENT MEDIA OSCE OFFICE PRESENTS REPORT ON AZERBAIJAN'S PUBLIC BROADCASTER BELIEVERS ENRAGED BY ANTI-ISLAMIC PUBLICATION EU-AZERBAIJAN COOPERATION PRESIDENT BARROSO AND THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON ENERGY PARTNERSHIP EU'S BARROSO PRAISES AZERBAIJAN AS KEY ALLY EU SIGNS ACCORDS WITH THREE CAUCASUS NATIONS BILATERAL RELATIONS PUTIN AND ALIYEV MEET IN MOSCOW PRESIDENTS OF AZERBAIJAN AND RUSSIA HOLD TALKS AZERBAIJAN AND RUSSIAN DIPLOMATIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO HAVE JOINT PROJECTS AZERBAIJAN, UAE SIGN CO-OP PAPERS IRAN, AZERBAIJAN TO START PARALLEL POWER GRID OPERATION TURKIC LEADERS COMMIT TO FURTHERING TIES more AZERBAIJAN INTRODUCES TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR CORRUPTION more NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT FOREIGN MINISTERS OPTIMISTIC ON GARABAGH TALKS INTERVIEW OF PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV TO AZERBAIJAN NATIONAL TELEVISION AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA NEAR FINAL TALKS ON DISPUTED REGION GLOBAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2006 WORLD WATER AND SANITATION CRISIS URGENTLY NEEDS A GLOBAL ACTION PLAN MEDIA COVERAGE IN AZERBAIJAN UN NEWS THE STATE CUSTOMS COMMITTEE PRESENTS THE DRAFT OF AZERBAIJAN'S NEW CUSTOMS CODE BASED ON EU STANDARDS CHILDREN'S COURTS TO OPEN IN AZERBAIJAN NEXT YEAR UNFPA HELD A CONFERENCE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN UNHCR DEPLORES FORCED RETURN OF REFUGEE BY AZERBAIJAN IOM AND UNDP TRANSFORM THEIR JOINT PROJECT INTO A COMMUNITY MICRO-FINANCE INSTITUTION IN NAKHCHIVAN OIL & GAS FIRST OIL FROM EAST AZERI REACHES SANGACHAL TERMINAL AZERBAIJAN: COPING WITH THE OIL WINDFALL CASPIAN OIL MYTH CRASHES AS EXXON SHUTS BAKU OFFICE EBRD - AZERBAIJAN AZERBAIJAN TOPS GLOBAL GROWTH - EBRD ENHANCING ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES EBRD LENDS TO PROMOTE ENERGY SECTOR REFORM IN AZERBAIJAN EBRD EXPANDS MICROFINANCE IN AZERBAIJAN EBRD TRANSITION REPORT 2006: DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION DRIVES GROWTH IN EASTERN EUROPE ECONOMY CORRUPTION SURVEY PLACES BAKU AS 130TH AZERI BUDGET TRANSPARENCY LOW - STUDY INDUSTRIAL TOWN TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN AZERBAIJAN NEXT YEAR COMMUNICATION ALI ABBASOV ACCUSES THE ITU OF FAILING TO PERFORM ITS FUNCTION UPU GRANTS MORE PRIVILEGES TO AZERBAIJAN FOR ARMENIAN OCCUPATION CEREMONY ON GRANTING THE TITLE OF GOODWILL AMBASSADOR OF ISESCO TO MRS MEHRIBAN ALIYEVA, PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION more PRESIDENT SIGNS ORDER SETTING UP STATE COMMISSION TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS OF AZERBAIJANI CITIZENS ENGAGED IN RETAIL TRADE IN RUSSIA more   Download UNDP   Screen Saver   UNDP Azerbaijan Website:   www.un-az.org/undp/   Contact Information   Address:   3, UN 50th Anniversary str.   AZ 1001 Baku, Azerbaijan   Telephone:   (+99412) 4989888   Fax:   (+99412) 4983235   (+99412) 4922491   E-mail:   undpbulletin@un-az.org     To unsubscribe please click here PRESIDENTS OF AZERBAIJAN AND RUSSIA HOLD TALKS Azertag, November 9, 2006 The talks between President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin took place November 9 at the Kremlin in Moscow. President Vladimir Putin said: Ilham Heydarovich, first of all, I would like to thank you for coming to Moscow, accepting our invitation. And I want to congratulate you on the successful visit to Brussels. I know this visit was very businesslike and concrete, with important agreements reached in terms of Azerbaijan's participation in the All-European energy efforts. It pleases us too because, as you know, we are in a constant dialogue with the European Union on the matter. And the regular meeting, the regular summit is coming soon, so I will be curious and interested in having your opinion on how the dialogue with the European partners was going. In addition to all this, we have a broad scope of bilateral relationship in political sphere, international affairs and economy. The trade has exceeded $1 billion, and I think we will double it in the next 2-3 years. This is what the trade growth rate indicates, at least. This year, as far as I am concerned, we have already increased our trade volume by 50 percent. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said: Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich. I am also very pleased to be in Moscow again, and very pleased to meet you again, and discuss our bilateral relations, regional cooperation and the situation in our region. We are also satisfied with our relations. They are very dynamical, very effective, and built on good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation, and we can see a practical result. Recently, the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have entered the highest level since gaining the independence. And of course, we are striving to increase the potential of the cooperation. The cooperation is now very active in political, economic and humanitarian areas. We have become much closer to each other also in the framework of the Year of Russia in Azerbaijan, which, unfortunately, is approaching the end as scheduled, but I hope will be continued spiritually in future. This format - holding the year of Azerbaijan in Russia, and that of Russia in Azerbaijan -has turned to be very efficient and useful. Over this period, our countries and peoples have become more close to each other. And, there is probably a need to find some other form to continue the contacts we had on all levels during the year. All this issues are interconnected, and resolution of these issues will further both strengthening our relations and stabilization of the situation in the region in general. PUTIN AND ALIYEV MEET IN MOSCOW AZERBAIJAN AND RUSSIAN DIPLOMATIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO HAVE JOINT PROJECTS AZERBAIJAN, UAE SIGN CO-OP PAPERS IRAN, AZERBAIJAN TO START PARALLEL POWER GRID OPERATION   December 2006, Issue No. 44 Previous Issues UNDP Azerbaijan Website Bulletin Home Page Country Information  Quick facts  Map of Azerbaijan  Azerbaijan Living Conditions Report 2006  Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic  National Anthem  Embassies in Azerbaijan AZERBAIJANI ANSWER TO OIL GLUT: BATHE IN IT International Herald Tribune, November 28, 2006 NAFTALAN, Azerbaijan: Outside this improbable spa in a remote part of the former Soviet Union, oil rigs bob on a hardscrabble plain of rocks, shrubs and rusting industrial equipment that could easily pass for a stretch of West Texas. Inside, Ramil Mutukhov, a lanky 25- year-old, prepares to be pampered and preened, scrubbed and peeled in a bath of pure crude oil. He undresses, hangs his trousers and sweatshirt on a peg, pulls off socks and underwear and folds up a wad of brown paper towels. He will need those later. more   If you have any suggestions for how we can improve the Bulletin, please send us an e-mail. Your input would be greatly appreciated.