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 PUTIN AND ALIYEV MEET IN MOSCOW Baku Sun, November 10, 2006 MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President llham Aliyev on Thursday hailed their countries' burgeoning economic ties, amid signs of concern from Moscow about its southern neighbor's improving relations with the West. "Our bilateral relationship has reached the highest level since we got independence," Aliyev said at the start of die two leaders' fourth meeting this year. "It is necessary to continue cooperation ... It will help not only to strengthen ties between Russia and Azerbaijan, but also stabilize the situation in the region as a whole." Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic, is the starting-point for a newly-completed U.S.-backed pipeline that transports Caspian oil to Western markets bypassing Russia. It also sent troops to serve in the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. Aliyev arrived in Moscow after a trip to Brussels, where he and NATO leaders-discussed energy security. Earlier this year, he got a warm White House wel come from U.S. President George W Bush. Russia's Kommersant daily said Moscow was worried that Azerbaijan would be making more military purchases in NATO countries as it builds up its armed forces - and ultimately building a "strategic relationship" with the Western alliance and even allowing NATO and the United States to use its military bases. Kommersant, citing unnamed sources close to the Kremlin, said Putin would offer Alivev a deeper strategic relationship with Russia by allowing it to pin-chase cheaper Russian weapons - something that had been blocked earlier by Moscow's desire to keep Azerbaijan from strengthening its military at the expense of Russia's main ally in the Caucasus Armenia. "Evidently the creation of a united front... against Georgia is more important for Russia: The main topic of negotiations is supposed to be Azerbaijan's participation in an energy blockade against Georgia in winter 2006-2007." Kommersant wrote. Russia's Gazprom natural gas monopoly said last week that it was seeking to double the price Georgia pays for gas; Georgia accused Moscow of "political blackmail" and said it would look for alternate suppliers, including Azerbaijan. Kommersant said Putin would also offer investments in Azerbaijan by the Russian aluminum giant OAO Rusal and RAO Unified Energy Systems. Putin said that Russian-Azerbaijani trade had grown by half already this year over the same period in 2005, and he predicted it would double within a year or two. "We have very extensive bilateral relationships (with Azerbaijan), in the political field, international affairs and the economy," Putin said. Putin and Aliyev were expected to discuss developments in the Caucasus Mountains region, including the prolonged conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the Kremlin said ahead of the meeting. 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   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.