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 EBRD EXPANDS MICROFINANCE IN AZERBAIJAN Loans to FINCA Azerbaijan and Rabitabank to benefit rural areas EBRD Web Site, November 16, 2006 The EBRD is expanding its support for rural areas of Azerbaijan with two loans to Rabitabank and FINCA Azerbaijan which will benefit micro, small and medium size enterprises. The $3 million loan to local commercial bank Rabitabank for on-lending to local businesses will be the first loan under the enlarged EBRD Azerbaijan Multi-Bank Framework Financing Facility. The new extension adds $40 million to the existing $40 million facility which has been totally committed to 8 local commercial banks to further develop their micro, small and medium-size enterprise lending. Technical assistance to implement the most efficient small business lending technologies is being provided through the EBRD's Early Transition Countries (ETC) Fund. An additional $3 million loan to the local microfinance institution FINCA Azerbaijan is provided under the EBRD's ETC Non-bank Microfinance Institutions Framework launched in 2005. The loan builds on the successful co-operation with FINCA in the Kyrgyz Republic and supports FINCA's outreach to the smallest clients in Azerbaijani regions. Olivier Descamps, EBRD Business Group Director, said the loans will further support the development of micro and small enterprises in Azerbaijan and of the country's banking sector. The EBRD loans will be on-lent to rural entrepreneurs and allow FINCA Azerbaijan and Rabitabank to expand their portfolio, product range and regional network. Both loans are partially funded by the RDI Special Fund established at the EBRD as part of BP's Regional Development Initiative (RDI) Programme aimed at creating transparent and effective access to commercial finance for local businesses including small and medium size enterprises and micro enterprises. The RDI Special Fund will cover a three year programme starting in the fourth quarter of 2006 and provide loans and technical assistance to local businesses and enterprises through local commercial banks and microfinance institutions. BP and its co-venturers will contribute $5.25 million to the Special Fund, while the EBRD will co-finance operations under the Fund in an amount at least matching the contribution from BP and its co-venturers. The EBRD is supporting the RDI Programme as part of its financing of the BTC pipeline. The EBRD provided a $125 million loan from its own resources and raised another $125 million through syndication to commercial banks for the construction of the BTC oil pipeline in November 2003. The pipeline was opened in July 2006. The EBRD's Non-bank Microfinance Institutions Framework for Early Transition Countries aims at strengthening microfinance institutions in the Bank's poorest countries of operations. Loans are provided for on-lending to the smallest borrowers across the ETC countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The facility is accompanied by a technical cooperation framework funded by donor governments. Through its micro and small enterprises programmes the EBRD has supported over one million small enterprises throughout eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. The EBRD has worked with 84 commercial banks and non-bank microfinance institutions to establish or expand specialised micro and small business finance units and these partner institutions have lent $10.6 billion in loans to micro and small businesses in the region. AZERBAIJAN TOPS GLOBAL GROWTH - EBRD ENHANCING ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES EBRD LENDS TO PROMOTE ENERGY SECTOR REFORM IN AZERBAIJAN EBRD TRANSITION REPORT 2006: DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION DRIVES GROWTH IN EASTERN EUROPE   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.