New German envoy hands copies of credentials to Azerbaijani FM

Elmar Mammadyarov

Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov received the newly appointed ambassador of Germany in our country Herber Quelly.

According to the news service for Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, the German diplomat has handed copies of his credentials to the Azerbaijani minister. Quelly stressed the existing potential of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Germany in different spheres and said he is doing everything possible for the further deepening of bilateral ties.

Mammadyarov, in turn, congratulated the German diplomat on being appointed the ambassador of his country in Azerbaijan and wished him success.

1 news.az

Source: News.Az - Latest news from Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan President congratulates Supreme Head of Malaysia on country's Independence Day

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of congratulation to Tuanku Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, Supreme Head of Malaysia, on his country's national holiday - Independence Day, AzerTAj state news agency reported.

"On behalf of the Azerbaijani people and on my own behalf, I cordially congratulate you and your people on your country`s public holiday-Independence Day. I am sure that development of Azerbaijan-Malaysia relationship, expansion of our friendly and cooperative ties will further serve the interests of our peoples. I extend my best wishes to you and wish the friendly people of

Renewed Juventus open season with crash at Bari

Serie A minnows Bari opened their season Sunday with a 1-0 defeat of dithering giants Juventus clinched through a great first-half shot from their inspired midfielder Massimo Donati, dpa reported.

Juve's lineup reflected the club's new course as new coach Luigi Delneri started off with six newcomers, including striker Fabio Quagliarella, who arrived from Napoli on Friday and to replace the injured Amauri.

Delneri also used Serb midfielder Milos Krasic, a fresh purchase from CSKA Moscow, but after the break replaced him with Uruguayan newcomer Jorge Martinez as he struggled to come up with more aggressive schemes.

Bari dangerously botched

Czech Republic to close five embassies

The Czech government on Saturday decided to close the embassies in Congo, Venezuela, Kenya, Yemen and Costa Rica as part of the Foreign Ministry's budget saving plan, the CTK news agency reports.

The Czech general consulate in Mumbai, India, will also be closed, RIA Novosti reported.

Originally up to 10 missions were to be closed.

The opposition Social Democrats have criticized the plans saying they would harm Czech exports.

Source: Trend - news from the Caspian, South Caucasus and Central Asia

Carter returns from North Korea with freed American

Former US president Jimmy Carter arrived back in the United States on Friday together with an American man who had been imprisoned in North Korea since the beginning of the year, dpa reported.

Aijalon Mahli Gomes, 30, hugged his family as he exited the plane at Boston's Logan Airport. Neither Gomes nor Carter made any comments to reporters on the tarmac.

Carter had flown to Pyongyang on Wednesday to lobby for the release of Gomes, who was arrested in January and sentenced in April to eight years of hard labour for illegally entering North Korea from China. North Korea said

Russian towboat with 14 crewmembers sinks in the Laptev Sea

The Alexei Kulakovsky towboat with 14 crewmembers on board sank in the Laptev Sea on early Friday morning some 20 nautical miles from the shore, Russia's Far East emergencies ministry said, RIA Novosti reported.

A distress call from the vessel was received at 4:40 a.m. local time and a nearby tanker rushed to the towboat and managed to save three crewmembers, who are the captain and two sailors.

Rescuers from the emergencies ministry department in Russia's Far East are currently searching for 11 missing sailors. The rescue operation involves a Mi-8 helicopter with rescuers

Westerwelle encourages Croatia's EU hopes on Balkan tour Eds: Westerwelle's trip ends Friday

Croatia is on the final stretch of the road to European Union membership, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told President Ivo Josipovic Wednesday in Zagreb at the start of a mini-tour of the Western Balkans, DPA Reports.

   According to sources close to Westerwelle, the German foreign minister raised the prospect of finalizing accession talks in 2011.

   Westerwelle's trip to Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Kosovo is his first overseas trip since the summer recess and comes after calls from his own Free Liberal Party (FDP) to concentrate on diplomacy rather than internal politics.

   Of the seven nations that emerged from the

Bordeaux's Gourcuff joins Lyon in 27.76 million dollars

French Ligue 1 club Lyon have signed up the French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff following a deal worth 22 million euros (27.76 million U.S. dollars ) as the club seeks to back its standing in the country's championship, Lyon said on Tuesday.

Lyon have recruited the 24-year-old Bordeaux midfielder Yoann Gourcuff after signing a five year accord, the club added, Xinhua reported.

The agreement's value stood at 22 million euros, with a 4.5 million euros bonus for eventual sale.

"The arrival of Gourcuff to Lyon is a very important for the Olympique Lyonnais. It represents an important turn to improve the

At least 4 militants killed, 2 policemen wounded in Ingushetia shootout

At least four militants were killed and two policemen wounded in a shootout in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia, a spokesman for the local investigation committee said on Monday, RIA Novosti reported.

Earlier reports said that two militants had been killed in the course of a special operation in the village of Pliyevo, near Ingushetia's largest city of Nazran.

A police source said that Federal Security Service (FSB) officers stopped a car, which according to their information had militants inside, and who opened fire on them in response.

Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus

Pentagon again postpones test of missile-destroying laser

A test of a powerful missile-intercepting laser, scheduled for Sunday morning, was postponed for the fourth time due to technical problems, Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency said on its website, RIA Novosti reported.

The laser, housed aboard a modified Boeing 747-400 Freighter, was to intercept a simulated short-range ballistic missile during Sunday's tests, to be held off California's coast. The previous postponements took place in the past three weeks.

"Trouble shooting indicates that a hot bypass valve on the aircraft is in an abnormal condition thus not allowing for proper component cooling," the agency said in a statement. "The team is

Two injured as light plane crashes near largest Kazakhstan city

Two people were injured after a private light plane crashed near Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan, the local emergencies ministry said, RIA Novosti reported.

The two-seat and single-engine aircraft, RV-6, plunged during a training flight from approximately 3-5 meters (9-16 feet) in the Ili River, to the north of the former capital of the country.

A 48-year-old owner of the plane, who piloted the aircraft during the accident, and his 47-year-old instructor were immediately hospitalized after the crash.

The ministry did not specify the cause of the accident.

Source: Trend - news from the Caspian, South Caucasus and Central Asia

Georgia welcomes formation of confederative relations between Baku, Tbilisi

'Signing of the agreement will serve the development of the two countries.'

Creation of the Georgian-Azerbaijani Confederation contributes to regional security, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Nino Kalandadze told reporters today after the session of the Georgian government.

During the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Georgia, his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili said creation of a confederation between Georgia and Azerbaijan is being considered

"The statement on the establishment of the federation has been made, and technically of Georgia's consent on this issue has already been attained. The form of this initiative depends on the negotiations of diplomats, this is the subject of diplomatic work”, said Kalandadze.

She stressed

Azerbaijani President awarded philologist the diploma

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev signed an order awarding Bekir Nabiyev Ahmed oglu "Honorary Diploma of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic" for contributions to the development of literary science, AzerTAj State News Agency reported on Thursday.

According to other order, Ilham Aliyev granted Bekir Nabiyev Ahmed oglu personal scholarship of President of Azerbaijan Republic.

Source: Trend - news from the Caspian, South Caucasus and Central Asia

DPRK supports S. Korean priest's return to South through MDL

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) supported a South Korean priest's return home through the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), the official KCNA news agency reported Wednesday.
   Han Sang Ryol's visit to the DPRK was "warmly welcomed" by all Koreans as a "righteous act" to preserve and implement the joint declaration and achieve national reconciliation and reunification, a spokesman for the DPRK Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration said, Xinhua reported.
   The declaration to work towards peaceful reunification was signed after an historic North-South summit in 2000.
   But the spokesman said South

Fires destroy 1.5 million hectares of forest land in Bolivia

At least 1.5 million hectares of land have been ravaged by fires in four of Bolivia's nine provinces, with 25,000 individual blazes detected, officials said Tuesday, dpa reported.

The worst-affected was the Amazonian province of Pando in northern Bolivia, said Cliver Rojas of the government department that oversees forests and land.

Rojas noted that the fires were largely due to what is known as "chaqueo," the practice of burning down grassland for cultivation. It spread rapidly because of dry conditions and strong winds.

He added that the fire was threatening the town of Puerto Rico in Pando, and air traffic

Israel's Netanyahu pays historic visit to Greece

There were signs of a Greek-Israeli rapprochement on Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli head of government to pay an official visit to Greece, dpa reported.

In talks late Monday with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou, Netanyahu discussed the Middle East conflict as well as bilateral cooperation.

"I'm sure that we can further develop our relationship in terms of energy, technology and security," Papandreou said afterwards.

Papandreou also praised steps taken by Israel to lift its siege of the Gaza Strip and called on the Israelis and the Palestinians to take part in direct negotiations.

Greece

Diamond smuggling from Dubai to Azerbaijan prevented

Azerbaijani customs officers prevented smuggling a large lot of diamond from Dubai, UAE to Azerbaijan, the State Customs Committee reported.

Azerbaijani citizen Rashad Mehraliyev was detained by the customs and national security officers at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport at his arrival from Dubai to Baku. 64.416 g (322.54 carat) of diamonds were found near him. The investigation department of the State Customs Committee launched criminal investigation under article 206.1 (smuggle).

Mehraliyev bought diamonds at the Dubai trade center and hided the packages with diamonds under his feet while passing through the customs control. The testimony, preliminary investigation, witness evidences and expert’s opinion proved the fact of smuggling of precious stones.

APA

Source: News.Az - Latest news from Azerbaijan

Barack Obama congratulated Ilham Aliyev with the start of Ramadan

Azerbaijan, Baku, August 14 /Trend, A.Akhundov/

US President Barack Obama has sent his best wishes to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Azerbaijani embassy in the USA reported on Saturday.

U.S. President expressed his greetings to President of Azerbaijan during a brief conversation with the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the United State Yashar Aliyev, who was invited to dinner Iftar at the White House, held on 13 August.

Iftar, which was attended by the ambassadors of foreign countries, members of the Administration and Congress, and representatives of the Muslim community in

UN chief intends to visit Pakistan's flood victims

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon planned to visit Pakistan this weekend to show the international support for the government and people suffering from severe floods, dpa reported.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky confirmed Ban's intention Friday, but he said travel arrangements were being worked and not yet finalized. No media representatives would accompany Ban, however.

The Pakistani government in Islamabad announced earlier that Ban would arrive on Saturday for a first-hand look at the devastation caused by the floods, which are affecting an estimated 14 million Pakistanis.

   "The UN chief will pay a visit on Saturday to see the destruction

BP pays 50-million-dollar fine for Texas refinery explosion

Oil giant BP Plc has agreed to a 50.6-million- dollar fine for security lapses that led to a 2005 explosion at a Texas oil refinery, the US Labour Department said Thursday, dpa reported.

The penalty is the largest in the agency's history, but is small compared to the more than 6 billion dollars BP has already paid in a separate effort to clean up the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The 2005 explosion in Texas City, Texas, killed 15 workers and injured 170 others. BP was cited by the Labour Department for hundreds of security violations both

Ministry of Economic Development takes measures to educate regional businesses to expand export opportunities in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, August 12 / Trend, A.Akhundov /

An event on "Educating of entrepreneurs in regions" was held in Sumgayit to educate Azerbaijani entrepreneurs about export in the European Union, the main features of the EU program on "Generalized System of Preferences+"("GSP+"), the potential benefit of the system for business, opportunities, created the portal of e-commerce www.b2b.az, the Ministry of Economic Development said on Wednesday.

Consultant of the entrepreneurship development department Rovshan Medjidov said that export opportunities of the country are rapidly expanding.

The presidential decree "Additional measures to improve regulation rules of import and export operations in the Azerbaijan

Israel must take full responsibility for flotilla killings - Turkish FM

Turkey says Israel must take full responsibility for the killing of nine peace activists during an attack in May on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, Press TV reported.

"Nobody can lay on the responsibility of killing civilians in international waters onto somebody else," AFP quoted Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as saying on Tuesday.

"We have a very clear situation. Israel has killed nine civilians in international waters. Before anything else, they should take responsibility for this... Turkey has absolutely no responsibility in the incident," Davutoglu added.

On May 31, the Israeli

Glotov and Drenovski become the first Azerbaijanis to win a medal

Glotov and Drenovski become the first Azerbaijanis to win a medal.

The success of the Azerbaijani pairs of rowers Radoslav Drenovski-Alexander Glotov who won bronze in the world championship in rowing among sportsmen not older than 18 was especially fixed on the official website of the International Rowing Federation www.worldrowing.com.

"Coming into this race Greece and Azerbaijan had the two fastest qualifying times, - News.Az quotes the website. - But it was Bulgaria in the lead at the start. This did not last long with favourites Michalis Nastopoulos and Apostolos Lampridis of Greece then pushing into the lead. Behind them it was very tight between Bulgaria, Azerbaijan and Germany.

Bulgaria then

Moscow-Baku flight delays (UPDATED-2)

Azerbaijan, Baku, August 8 /Trend, R.Darakhshan, I.Huseynov/

Moscow-Baku flight from the international airport "Domodedovo", which was supposed to arrive at 18:30, will arrive at 22:15 Baku time in connection with the smog created by the burning of peat bogs in the Moscow region, JSC "Azerbaijan Hava Yollari" (Azerbaijan Airlines, AZAL) told Trend Sunday.

Earlier, two Baku-Moscow Domodedovo flights, scheduled on 07.30 and 10.40 local time were delayed till 14:23 and 14.39 correspondingly.

Another two flights, which were to be implemented in "Domodedovo" departed with a delay: the flight of 14:45 departed at 16:50, the flight scheduled to 17:40 departed at

Moscow-Baku flight delays (UPDATED-2)

Azerbaijan, Baku, August 8 /Trend, R.Darakhshan, I.Huseynov/

Moscow-Baku flight from the international airport "Domodedovo", which was supposed to arrive at 18:30, will arrive at 22:15 Baku time in connection with the smog created by the burning of peat bogs in the Moscow region, JSC "Azerbaijan Hava Yollari" (Azerbaijan Airlines, AZAL) told Trend Sunday.

Earlier, two Baku-Moscow Domodedovo flights, scheduled on 07.30 and 10.40 local time were delayed till 14:23 and 14.39 correspondingly.

Another two flights, which were to be implemented in "Domodedovo" departed with a delay: the flight of 14:45 departed at 16:50, the flight scheduled to 17:40 departed at

Ahmadinejad: 9/11 scenario dubious

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Western media hyped the September 11, 2001 attacks to pave the way for the US-led invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, Press TV reported.

"What was the story behind September 11? In the space of five to six days, and with the aid of the media, they swayed public opinion to the point of considering an attack on Afghanistan and Iraq permissible and a right [for themselves]," he said in a televised speech.

The president went on to add that while 3,000 deaths had been announced, no report containing the names of these victims had been

UN: Pakistan flooding will swell in coming days

The United Nations said Friday monsoon rain now sweeping across parts of Pakistan would worsen conditions in regions severely affected by floods that have made hundreds of thousands of homeless, dpa reported.

In a teleconference between Islamabad and UN headquarters in New York, Martin Mojwanja, the chief of UN programmes in Pakistan, said the number of flood victims would likely increase in coming days.

He estimated the death toll at 1,400 while Islamabad says 1,600 have died.

Mojwanja said the UN system in Pakistan planned a flash appeal for Pakistan. Needs could top 1 billion dollars once on-the-ground assessment is

Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan FMs gather in Bodrum (UPDATE)

Editor's note: paragraphs 5-6 added

Foreign ministers of Turkic-speaking countries came together in a meeting which took place in Bodrum town of the western Turkish province of Mugla on Thursday, Anadolu Agency reported.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who held a joint press conference with foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan - Elmar Mammadyarov, Kanat Saudabayev and Ruslan Kazakbayev, said that the cooperation among countries of Turkish world would be institutionalized.

He expressed hope that a permanent Turkish World Council Secretariat would be shaped in Istanbul during this year's Turkic-speaking countries summit.

Davutoglu noted that the Turkish world

Mobile communications Azerbaijan's top ICT earner

Ali Abbasov

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has reviewed progress in the ICT sector over the first six months of the year.

Minister Ali Abbasov told the review meeting that revenues from the ICT sector and postal services were AZN 638.1m ($794.4m) in the first six months of 2010, 28% up on last year.

Growth in the sector was 28.2% in six months. In telecommunications growth was 29.6% and in postal services 19.5%.

Abbasov said that revenue from ICT and postal services accounted for 1.6% of Azerbaijan's GDP.

The minister said that the private sector produced almost 80% of revenue, while mobile communications accounted for 75% of revenue.

Ambitious plans

Ali Abbasov spoke to journalists today about the

Oil exports via Georgian terminal up

The Black Sea terminal of Kulevi has received 65% more oil and oil products this year, compared to the first seven months of 2009.

The terminal on the Georgian Black Sea coast is owned and operated by Azerbaijan's state oil company, SOCAR.

In July Kulevi received 409,778 tonnes of oil and oil products, 4% more than in June, and 106% more than in July last year.

Last month, 407,982 tonnes of oil and oil products were exported to world markets via Kulevi.

Oil and oil products from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are exported via Kulevi.

1news.az

Source: News.Az - Latest news from Azerbaijan

Anti-aircraft missiles to Azerbaijan a 'good deal' for Russia

Rasim Musabeyov

Reports that Russia is to sell S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Azerbaijan are fact, not rumour, according to analyst Rasim Musabeyov.

"The sale of the S-300 anti-missile system is a good deal for Russia, since it brings in ready cash," Musabeyov said in an interview with Novosti-Azerbaijan news agency.

A source in the Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed Moscow’s readiness to sell two divisions of S-300 PMU-2 Favorit anti-missile systems to Azerbaijan in a deal worth around $300m, according to Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

"This is the biggest deal with the CIS countries in Russia’s independence and it may become the start of full-scale military and technical cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia. This deal contrasts

Safura Alizade performs at music festival in Stockholm

The next performance of Eurovision 2010 star has been held in Swedish capital.

Within the framework of the promotion tour in support of her debut European album "It's my war" Eurovision 2010 star Safura Alizade performed at Pride Festival in Swedish capital Stockholm. She performed her Eurovision hit Drip Drop at the Pride Festival.

The promotion tour in support of the album "It's my war" will continue in Poland and Germany. 

1 news.az

Source: News.Az - Latest news from Azerbaijan

Safura Alizade performs at music festival in Stockholm

The next performance of Eurovision 2010 star has been held in Swedish capital.

Within the framework of the promotion tour in support of her debut European album "It's my war" Eurovision 2010 star Safura Alizade performed at Pride Festival in Swedish capital Stockholm. She performed her Eurovision hit Drip Drop at the Pride Festival.

The promotion tour in support of the album "It's my war" will continue in Poland and Germany. 

1 news.az

Source: News.Az - Latest news from Azerbaijan