From: farid@mem.odu.edu (F. H. Miandoab)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.turkish
Subject: -->>> News - Azerbaijan <<<--
Date: 13 Oct 1992 14:45:42 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
Reply-To: Turkish Cultural Program List <TRKNWS-L%USCVM.BitNet@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

The following news from Turan News Agency in Baku-Azerbaijan
is brought to you as a service of the:

                  <Azerbaijan Aydinlig Association>
                         P.O. Box 14571
                       Berkeley, CA 94701
                      FAX: (804) 490-3832
                    Email: farid@mem.odu.edu

P L E A S E make a hard copy available to an Azerbaijani near you!
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

AZERI-IRANIAN COOPERATION SHOULD BE BROADENED

   BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: Today, during a press-conference, the chairman of
the azeri parliament, isa gambarov, spoke highly of the statement of the
iranian president hashemi rafsanjami on the iranian readiness to respond
to any azeri request and do everything in the iranian power to help azerbaijan.
   Isa gambarov declared cooperation with iran would serve the national
interest of azerbaijan.
   At the same time, the chairman outlined that it was the iranian
mediation of the azeri-armenian conflict that resulted in the
disastrous losses of azerbaijan in may of this year and shaken
the iranian influence in the republic.
  According to gambarov's words, azeri government is looking for
ways to remove this distrust between the two nations.--0--


AZERBAIJAN AND RUSSIA GOING TO SIGN POLITICAL TREATY

   BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: In course of the forthcoming
official visit of the president of azerbaijan to moscow, the
sides are going to sign the most important political treaty,
said the chairman of the azeri parliament isa gambarov at the
press-conference today.
  According to the gambarov's words, on october 12, elchibey
and yeltsin will discuss a range of questions touching the
vital interests of the both states.
  " We suppose this visit will improve the azeri-russian
relations", outlined gambarov.
   Responding to the question, whether the russian peacekeeping
forces would interfere in the azeri-armenian conflict,
gambarov said nobody could do that without the azeri consent.
   The speaker announced, azerbaijan is open to pay off his
share in the former ussr's external debt, which accounts for 2
billion dollars. "But we will do that only if azerbaijan would
receive his share in the property of the former ussr", outlined
isa gambarov.--0--


  BY THE END OF THIS YEAR MANAT SUPPLANTS RUBLE

   BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: Turan has received information from
the governmental circles that azeri government intents to supplant
ruble from the azeri money turnover by the end of this year.
   First vice-premier of azerbaijan vahid ahmedov assured the
turan correspondent that the course of the government towards
creation of the national monetary system remained firm.
"Transition to the national currency is an inevitable process,
as the other republics, with russia among them, are preparing for
introduction of their own national currencies."
   Chairman of the parliament isa gambarov said manat would be
stable and convertible. According to his words, the foreigners
have already started to buy manat for twice its nominal value.
--0--


STAKE PLACED ON INVESTMENTS

    BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: The president of azerbaijan made
new appointments to the key posts in the finances and external
economic links ministries and also in the customs committee.
    Judged by the departments where the appointments took place,
azeri government intents to start radical reforms in the economic
sphere and to place a stake on creation of the national monetary
system and attraction of investments to the azeri economy.
Earlier, the president appointed sabit bagirov, a member of
the popular front's board, author of economic strategical
program as the head of the azeri basic economic branch - oil
industry.--0--


MINISTER'S PROMISES TO STABILIZE ECONOMY WITHIN A YEAR

   BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: President of azerbaijan issued an
edict on appointment of 35-years old saleh mamedov , a prof. In
the baku's institute of national economy and the turkish marmie
university, as the minister of finance.
   The newly appointed minister declared that he had a 10-15 years
long plan of reforms in financial sphere.
  " If implementation of the reforms would be successful, the
economic situation in the republic may be stabilized within
a year. And in 3 - 4 years, azeri economy would reach the
turkish level", said saleh mamedov.--0--


CUSTOMS COMMITTEE ON THE EVE OF CHANGES

   BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: President of azerbaijan issued an
edict on appointment of 44-years old ibrahim veliyev, an expert
for civil law, as the chairman of the state customs committee.
   The new chairman of the committee says the most important
thing, facing him at present, is to create a full and effective
customs service.--0--


TOP ITEM - LIBERATION OF EXTERNAL ECONOMIC LINKS

   BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: President of azerbaijan issued an
edict on appointment of 34-years old rauf garayev, once first
deputy minister of the external economic links and current
secretary of the supreme mejlis of the popular front, as the
minister of external economic links of azerbaijan.
   Garayev sees his main aim in creation of the independent
external economic policy. He intents to begin with liberation of
external economic links and liquidation of the obstacles on this
way.--0--


HUMAN RIGHT'S INFRINGER GIVEN THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL

   BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: Interior minister iskander hamidov
was given the rank of lieutenant-general by a presidential
edict.
   The journalists of the democratic trend are seeing this edict
as an implicit backing of the minister's behavior, who had
beaten two journalists just few days ago.
   Earlier, in his address to the local press, president
elchibey has promised to protect democracy and human rights in
azerbaijan. But, the current edict has just encouraged the
person who maliciously violated these rights.
   Now it is clear, the observers were not mistaken when warning
of a process under way in azerbaijan, where the principles of
a democratic government are vanishing away and the signs of a
authoritarian regime increasing with every day.
   The journalists have vowed not to bow to the authority's
tyranny and will stand up for their rights.
   Judged by everything, hamidov has good chances to become a
colonel-general.--0--


FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE AZERI ARMED FORCES

   BAKU (8 OCTOBER) TURAN: Tomorrow is the first anniversary of
the azeri armed forces and in its honor, there will be a review
in the azadlig square in baku.
   Last year, the parliament, under the pressure of the
opposition, passed a bill on creation of the national
self-defence forces, which are the state armed organizations,
based on the principle of reasonable sufficiency and aimed at
protection of azerbaijan.
   Azeri armed forces consists of three arms of service - land,
air and naval forces.
   The president of azerbaijan is the supreme commander-in-chief
of the azeri armed forces.
   Azerbaijan joins no military blocks, but signed the military
pact on air-defence with the commonwealth of independent
states.--0--


    ALMA-ATA PEACE MEETING WILL NOT TAKE PLACE

    BAKU (9 OCTOBER) TURAN: Azeri foreign minister tofig gasimov
will not leave for the alma-ata peace meeting with his armenian
counterpart tomorrow, though earlier, mass-media reported on his
agreement to visit kazakhstan.
    The minister made it clear today during a pres-conference
that he was not invited to the talks.
    As it is known, it was the first time in august of this year
when kazakhstan's president nazarbayev put forward the initiative
to hold the three-sided peace summit for nagorno-karabakh in alma-ata.
But up to this day, this initiative has yielded no positive results.--0--


PANAHLI AGAINST THE COURSE OF THE CURRENT AZERI GOVERNMENT

    BAKU (9 OCTOBER) TURAN: In connection with the complicated
socio-economic situation in azerbaijan, the chairman of the
independent trade-union association of "turan", neymat panahli
held a press-conference today.
    Panahli battered the azeri government, who, as the
chairman said, did nothing to remedy the situation and remove
the social tension.
    Panahli said azeri co-operation with the west and
admittance of the foreign companies to development of the
national raw reserves was real treachery.
    The chairman classified as erroneous the azeri government's
course towards creation of a capitalist society in azerbaijan.
"Azerbaijan must choose his own way of development, proceeding
from his national peculiarities and based on the joint-stock
principle."
    Panahli believes azerbaijan should carry on his struggle
for  his full independence in alliance with the states, hanging
on national-liberation positions.
   It was announced during the press-conference that the
congress of the independent trade-union association of turan was
set for the end of october. The congress will work out the
strategy and tactics  of the organization.--0--


PROSPECTS OF THE AZERI OIL REFINING INDUSTRY

   BAKU (9 OCTOBER) TURAN: Under the azeri-russian
intergovernmental agreement, russia was bound to deliver
3 million tons of oil to azerbaijan in 1992. Then, this
figure was reduced to one million ton. But by this day,
azerbaijan has received less than 500,000 tons.
   Behind this short delivery stands a big drop in oil
extraction in russia and the gaydar's decision to sell oil to
those who will pay best.
   All that resulted in stoppage of the azeri oil-refineries.
To meet the oil requirements of his oil-refineries, azerbaijan
has signed an agreement with tatarstan. Under this agreement,
azerbaijan will receive not only crude oil but also ethylbenzol,
stirol, catalysts for polyethylene and other stuffs.  All
those deliveries will help azerbaijan to keep running at full
capacity the republic's industrial associations of "orgsintez",
"sintezkauchuk" and also the tire and plastic plants.
  In his turn, azerbaijan should deliver sulfanol and other
chemical stuffs to tatarstan.
   In line with that, azeri government intents to increase the
annual level of oil extraction up to 25 million tons, that will
meet fully the oil-requirements of the azeri refineries.
  It is also planned to build some mini oil-refineries near the
oil-fields. That will help to end the activities of oil-plants
within baku and to settle one of the most difficult environmental
problems of azerbaijan.
  In future (if the appropriate bill is passed), the oil-fields
and plants would become joint-stock companies.--0--


  FIERCE COMBATS IN LACHIN AND FIZULI REGIONS OF AZERBAIJAN

   BAKU (9 OCTOBER) TURAN: Press-center of the azeri defence
ministry reports that yesterday evening, armenian sub-units,
supporting by tanks and artillery, violated the azeri border
from the armenian region of goriss and attacked the positions
of the azeri armed forces on the south of the region of lachin.
   Early in the morning, azeri sub-units launched a counter-
attack and pushed the enemy back from the captured positions.
   The situation remains strained in the region of fizuli
/south-west of karabakh/, which is under armenian attack
for the third day. Yesterday, the armenian war-planes
dropped four bombs on the district center of fizuli. There
are reports on injured and destructions.--0--


AZERI ARMY ABIDES BY THE DEFENSIVE DOCTRINE

   BAKU (9 OCTOBER) TURAN: A review in honor of the first
anniversary of the azeri national army has been held on the
square of azadlig in baku today.
   Addressing the participants of the review, president
elchibey said azerbaijan had started to form his army when
the non-declared war was threatening the territorial
integrity of the republic. But despite all difficulties,
creation of the national army would be completed in near future,
outlined the president. The president also stressed that the
azeri army abided by the defensive doctrine and would be
maned proceeding from this doctrine.--0--



    FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENT ELCHIBEY'S VISIT TO MOSCOW

   BAKU (11 OCTOBER) TURAN: President elchibey of azerbaijan
is due to leave for moscow tomorrow morning.
   The meeting of the russian and azeri presidents is scheduled
for monday.
   Elchibey and yeltsin will sign the agreement on co-operation
and security between azerbaijan and russia.
   Elchibey will be accompanied by the state secretary, panah
huseynov, foreign minister, tofig gasimov, presidential adviser
for international affairs, vafa gulizade, and other officials.
   The sides are expected to carry out the intergovernmental
talks on external political course, defence and economic
co-operation.
   At present, russia remains the top economic partner of
azerbaijan. For the six months of 1992, the trade turnover among
these two countries made up 36.6 Billion rubles. 53 Per cent of
the whole azeri export is to russia and the russian share in
the azeri import accounts for 57 per cent.
   Baku's observers think russia will remain the most important
partner of azerbaijan in the sphere of military co-operation
too. Both moscow and baku are greatly interested in such a
co-operation, dictated by the long-term interests of these two
states and geo-political situation of azerbaijan.
   Despite the azeri refusal to enter the commonwealth, russia
is deeply interested in co-operation with the republic due to
the ongoing deterioration of the russian positions in the north
caucasus.--0--


  AZERBAIJAN LOOKING FOR PARTNERS ON THE EAST

    BAKU (11 OCTOBER) TURAN: A group of azeri oil-equipment
producers returned recently from their business tour over the
oil-extracting states of the near east.
    Azeri machine-building industry has to look for new
partners and marketing outlets for their production as russia
is converting its military plants mainly to the works, producing
oil-equipment.
     Just recently, 14 machine-building plants uniting in the
"azneftmash" concern, produced more than 70 per cent of the
whole oil-equipment of the former ussr. At present, 70 per cent
of the concern's production falls on russia and the industry
depends greatly on the russian orders.
    The governmental statistics runs, this year, the rate of
production growth of the industry made up 78 per cent against
the last year. And this drop turns a real economic disaster as
russia curtails its orders in azerbaijan.
    That is why baku is looking for new contacts in the west and
usa in this sphere.
    But the azeri leadership is pinning their big hopes on
co-operation with his south neighbor too. It should be noted,
that at the international commercial and industrial fair,
held in iran, azerbaijan is represented mainly with
oil-equipment.--0--


   DROP IN PRODUCTION SLACKENED ITS PACE BUT THE THREAT REMAINS

   BAKU (11 OCTOBER) TURAN: The state statistical committee of
azerbaijan reports on the signs of stabilization of economic
situation in azerbaijan.
    "One could observe 24 per cent drop in national income in
january-april of 1992, now the drop has slackened its pace and
accounts for 17.7", Says the first deputy chairman of the state
statistical committee, eldar kagramanov.
    Kagramanov is sure, the drop was managed to be stopped
through stabilization of the political situation in the
republic, following the united external economic policy, putting
into practice a package of measures in financial and monetary
spheres and providing the population with food products.
    But kagramanov warns, azerbaijan may face grave problems if
russia would not stop to increase its fuel prices.--0--

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