THE BAKU METROPOLITAN WILL PURCHASE 25 WAGONS THIS YEAR
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Baku metropolitan will purchase 25 wagons (5 trains) on the Mitishi Wagon Engineering Pant in Podmoskovie. The first ten wagons will be delivered to Azerbaijan by May 10 already. The Chief of the Baku Metropoliten Mr. Tagi Akhmedov has informed about his on the press conference
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: For the realization of the project of the construction of the northern branch of the Baku Metropolitan $150 MM would be required. The Director of the Metropolitan Mr. Tagi Akhmedov has declared this on the press conference about this.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: For ensuring security monitoring cameras have been installed on all stations of the Baku metro. The monitoring is carried out not only at entrance to metro, but also directly on platforms and even on escalators, - the Chief of the Baku Metropolitan Mr.Tagi Akhmedov has declared on the press conference.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Azerbaijan Trade-Union Confederation offers increasing minimum salary in the country up to life minimum.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Fund of the Social Development of the Forced Migrants under the authorities of the Cabinet of Azerbaijan has announced the tender on the construction of dwelling houses and social infrastructure for his category of citizens. At the present time they live in four camp towns.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Within frameworks of the project of the creation of modern land cadastre in Azerbaijan the special aircraft Beecraft Super King Air - 350 belonging to the Switzerland Federal Topographic Service has carried out the air photo surveying of the Absheron Peninsula.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Armenian community of America has expressed its dissatisfaction in activities of the Jorge Bush's Administration. A number of unexecuted promises of the Washington Administration to the Armenians-electors and as well ignoring of more than ten problems of the Armenians of the USA are called in the message to the President of the country.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Company BP-Azerbaijan has started the construction of the gas pipeline, which will be laid from the Sangachal terminal up to the distribution network of the JC "Azerigaz".
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: In accordance of the results of the tender, the Company Lukoil International Trading & Supply Company (LITASCO) has purchased the second April party of oil of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The government of Ukraine and Azerbaijan intend to sign agreement on conditions of delivery and transit of the Azerbaijan oil through the Ukrainian territory. The Cabinet of Ukraine has approved the project of this document and ordered to the Vice-Premier Mr. Andrew Kluev to sign it. By data of the press service of the Ukrainian government, the crude is to be transported by the oil pipeline "Odessa - Brodi", which should be put into operation on May.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The volume of oil production in Russia in the I quarter of 2004 has increased by 11% and made 110.428 MM tons against 99.462 MM tons for the analogous period of 2003.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Kazakhstan has decided to accelerate holding of the first competitions on development of new blocks of the oil and gas-bearing shelf of the Caspian Sea. The Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of Kazakhstan Mr. Baktikoja Izmuhambetov has said.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: On the Kazakhstan piece of the future oil pipeline Kazakhstan - China the project-researching works were completed. The Vice-President of the Chinese National Oil Company (CNOC) Mr. U. Yaoven has informed about this at the meeting with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Russian side considers that the forthcoming meeting of the Foreign Ministries of the Caspian states (the RF, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran) will advance the negotiations on the cooperation in the Caspian Sea.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The forecast on incomes of the state budget of Azerbaijan was executed by 95.7% for two months of the current year. For January - February the budget incomes made 889.6 bn manats, incomes - 700.2 bn manats (4925 manats - $1). The forecast on expenses has been executed by 73.6%. The proficiency of the state budget made 189.4 bn manats.
BAKU.02.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Premier of Azerbaijan Mr. Artur Rasizade has expressed his interest in extension of the cooperation of companies of Azerbaijan with the Belarus CJC "Atlant". He has declared about this after visiting to "Atlant" and negotiations with the management of the company. Taking into account the high authority of the Belarus Company on the international market, the Azerbaijan Premier has invited experts of "Atlant" to take part in possible projects on restoration of the freezer equipment in Azerbaijan.
The Baku metropolitan purchases wagons of the Mitishi plant for $325 thou at the sale price by $590 thou, Mr.T.Akhmedov has emphasized. By his words, the management of the plant has fixed such favorable prices for the Baku metro as a sign of gratefulness to the former President of Azerbaijan Mr. Geydar Aliyev, who has made a lot for the Mitishi plant in the period when he has worked the first deputy of the Chief of the Council of Ministries of the USSR and controlled for all transport sphere.
Mr. T. Akhmedov has informed that after delivering of new trains the park of the Baku metro will be modernized by 75 wagons as 50 ones were purchased in 2002 and 2003. Totally the Baku metropolitan has 37 trains for the present.
By the words of the Chief of the Metropolitan, it is necessary to make capital repairs of wagons in Azerbaijan - only current repairs are conducted on the places. A date of issue of the majority of trains is 1973 - 1977. So if there is a necessity of replacement of 80% details, purchase of a new wagon would be cheaper, Mr. T. Akhmedov has said.
At the present time only repaired wagons operate on the metro ways. As soon as even small defects are revealed, a train is delivered immediately to depot. For revealing of defects of wagons on ways of metropolitan special equipment "Pakap" is installed and it allows conducting the diagnostics. Moreover, all occurs automatically when a train passes through this system. In a case of defect a special signal is sent to the head computer.
$150 MM ARE REQUIRED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTHERN BRANCH OF THE BAKU METROPOLITAN
By his words, after the station "Memar Ajemi" else three stations should be built: "Nasimi", "Azadlig" and depot "Ilgar Garayev". The total length of this branch makes 3.5 km. Works on all stations have been executed by 40 - 50%. However for the present there are not available required means for the construction completion. Money allocated by the state are sufficient only for maintenance of tunnels, which had been constructed. As to an opportunity of reception of foreign investments, investors refuse of such offers as soon as they know that fare in metro makes 250 manats (less than $0.05).
THE BAKU METROPOLITAN IMPROVES SECURITY MEASURES
Moreover, for improving the security the decision on installing cameras even in wagons of metro has been taken. For the present only two trains were equipped by these devices. By the words of Mr. T. Akhmedov, the Baku underground metropolitan has become the first one within all the CIS, where similar equipment is installed. He has emphasized that after introduction of such measure cases of illegal checking of passengers by police have reduced
THE AZERBAIJAN TRADE-UNION CONFEDERATION OFFERS INCREASING OF MINIMAL SALARY UP TO A LEVEL OF LIFE MINIMUM
"We offer increasing minimal salary up to the life minimum by the end of 2005", - the Department Chief of the Confederation Mr. Chingiz Tagiyev has said. "Working person should not be out poverty line, - he has emphasized. - A share of salary in the GDP of Azerbaijan slightly exceeds 15% meanwhile in the majority of CIS countries this rates makes 30 - 40%".
At the present time the minimum salary in Azerbaijan makes 60 thou manats, a poerty line - 120 thou manats, an average monthly salary - 438.1 thou manats.
A TENDER FOR CONSTRUCTION OF 3 SETTLEMENT FOR FORCED MIGRANTS HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED IN AZERBAIJAN
In accordance with the tender conditions, the construction of three settlements is provided - in Agdam region - 3674 families, in Geranboy - 149 families, in Agjabedi - 37 families. These settlements should be equipped by the system of electric and water supply, health, education and domestic objects, etc.
Moreover, the construction of the system of external electric and water supplying of access roads and irrigation systems have been included into a schedule.
SWITZERLAND HELPS TO AZERBAIJAN IN CREATION OF THE STATE LAND CADASTRE
As Media-Press has been informed in the Baku Office of "The Switzerland Cooperation", flights were conducted above the Absheron Peninsula, divided conditionally in three areas correspondingly to population density. The air-photo surveying was carried out within frameworks of the project "Improvement of Production Capacities of the Scientific-Production Center of the State Land Cadastre and Monitoring", which is financed by the Switzerland Economy State Secretariat (SECO). The project is directed to creation of modern digital database of cadastre maps of region in Azerbaijan.
The project is carried out in accordance with the agreement on finance help between governments of Switzerland and Azerbaijan. The Switzerland grant in a volume of 3.5 MM franks is used for purchasing equipment and relevant services and teaching of local staff meanwhile contribution of the Azerbaijan side by a volume of 500 thou franks will be presented as different local resources and services. The project has begun on November of 2003 and will prolong two years.
The main goal of the project is assistance to Azerbaijan in creation of accurate land cadastre in pilot regions. Precisely determined borders of plots are a necessary condition of using lands. With a help of new cadastre maps landowners would be able to determine precisely squares of plots received at the privatization and adjust disputes on borders of private property.
THE US ARMENIANS ARE NOT SATISFIED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF BUSH
As the Armenian National Committee of the USA has informed, in particular the question is about violation of pre-election promise of Mr. J. Bush to recognize so called genocide of the Armenians, reduction of volumes of aid to Armenians, violation of parity of military aid to Yerevan and Baku, passiveness in development of the Armenian-American relations, refusal of affecting on Turkey and Azerbaijan to stop blockade of Armenia.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GAS PIPELINE FROM THE SANGACHAL TERMINAL UP TO GAS DISTRIBUTION NETWORK OF "AZERIGAZ" HAS STARTED
The agency Media-Press has been informed in the office of BP-Azerbaijan.
In the past year the relevant agreement between the Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC) and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan was signed. By the end of 2003 the project of the new pipeline was prepared and documents on estimation of impact of the construction and operation of the pipe on environment were approved.
The length of the gas pipeline is 5 km, the capacity makes 20 - 25 MM cubic meters daily. The cost of its construction makes $13 MM. It is planned that the construction will be completed on September of 2004.
This gas pipeline should be necessary for delivering casing-head gas to Azerbaijan produced by within frameworks of the project of full-scale development of the fields "Azeri - Chiraq - Guneshli".
As Media-Press informed earlier, the casing-head gas would be delivered from the terminal under a pressure of 40 - 41 atm. Pipelines managing of the JC "Azerigas" are not able to keep such pressure. So it is planned to install also gas regulator, which would reduces the pressure up to 20 atm. and then gas would be delivered to the distribution network of "Azerigaz".
Today all oil delivered to the Sangachal terminal is separated from water and gas. The gas received in result of this is burned. The construction of the new installation will allow not burning gas, but delivering it to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, which in its turn will deliver it to consumers. The gas will be burned in flames only in emergencies. In the future it would allow reducing the gas import.
For satisfaction of the demands up to 10 bn cubic meters of gas would be required annually. Today the gas produced in Azerbaijan provides only 50% of demands of the country. By predictions, the gas production in Azerbaijan would make 5.04 cubic meters this year and the Azerbaijan Operating Company would transfer 890 MM cubic meters from this volume to the state in accordance with the contract free of charge.
THE COMPANY LUKOIL INTERNATIONAL TRADING & SUPPLY CO HAS PURCHASED THE SECOND APRIL PARTY OF OIL OF THE SOCAR
As Media-Press has been informed in the Marketing and Economic Operations Office of the SOCAR, LITASCO will ship 80 thou tons of the Azerbaijan oil from the port Novorossiisk on April 28 - 29.
A volume of the Azerbaijan oil transportation by the route Baku - Novorossiisk accepted for this year by the SOCAR is 2.5 MM tons - as in 2003. In accordance with the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Azerbaijan on oil exportation, signed on January 1999 it is prolonged automatically every year if one of the sides does not inform another one about its intension of the agreement operation stop before a year up to expiry date. Each five years the sides may introduce changes by mutual agreement.
UKRAINE AND AZERBAIJAN WILL SIGN AGREEMENT ON TRANSIT OF THE AZERBAIJAN OIL THROUGH UKRAINE UP TO JUNE
Volumes of deliveries of the Azerbaijan oil are in secret up to signing of agreement. Experts forecast carefully that it may make 2 - 4 MM tons. Totally this year 2 - 6 MM tons of oil should be pumped in the European direction by the pipeline "Odessa - Brodi" and as well Kazakhstan and foreign companies operating in Kazakhstan will deliver a portion of it.
In the Ukrainian-Azerbaijan agreement the sides agree on ensuring the free and uninterrupted oil transit, agree annually its volumes, trends and conditions and as well to take part in the joint projects of oil transportation on new perspective routes. The Ukrainian part will establish the transport tariff on indiscrimination base.
The issue of cooperation of countries in the fuel-energy complex will become one of chief ones as well during the visit of the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev to Urkaine, which may be be held this summer, ITAR-TASS informs.
THE OIL PRODUCTION VOLUME IN RUSSIA IN THE I QUARTER HAS INCREASED BY 11% AND MADE 110.428 MM TONS
For three months the production of natural gas in Russia increased up to 168.16 bn cubic meters from 163.08 bn cubic meters in the same period of 2003.
The oil deliveries form Russia for export to the far abroad by he system "Transneft" made 47 657 tons for January - February of the current year (for 3 months of 2003 - 39.152 MM tons). The export deliveries were distributed in the next way: 26 927 MM tons were delivered by sea, 18.045 MM tons - by the oil pipeline "Druzba", 2.684 MM tons - by railway.
KAZAKHSTAN WILL ANNOUNCE THE FIRST COMPETITIONS ON DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BLOCKS OF THE OIL AND GAS BEARING SHELF OF THE CASPIAN SEA IN 2004
As the press service of the minister has informed, up to date the government of Kazakhstan has not determined start dates of competitions where international investors were invited, and called only a period - 2006 - 2010.
By the estimations of the government, 64% of total hydrocarbon resources of Kazakhstan is a share of the shelf divided in tens blocks for development. As provided, during 25 - 30 years beginning from 2015 the offshore production should be increased up to 100 MM tons of oil annually. Onshore production will make 50 - 70 MM tons annually.
Kazakhstan, which has attracted billions dollars to the oil production connects plan of oil production increasing in three times by 2015.
THE PROJECT-RESEARCH WORKS ON THE KAZAKHSTAN PIECE OF THE OIL PIPELINE THE WEST KAZAKHSTAN - CHINA
The construction of the oil pipeline West Kazakhstan - China will allow increase the export potential of Kazakhstan. By preliminary information, the capacity of the oil pipeline may make up to 50 MM tons of oil annually.
The largest oil company in the world CNOC has started its investment activity in Kazakhstan still in 1997, when purchased 60.3% of shares of the OJC "Aktobemunaygaz". A total of investments allocated by the Chinese company has exceeded $1bn.
THE OFFICIALS OF MOSCOW CONSIDER THAT THE MEETING OF "THE CASPIAN FIVE" FOREIGN MINISTERS WILL PROMOTE TO THE PROGRESS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE CASPIAN PROBLEMS
"Expectedly, the meeting of the Ministries in Moscow will give an additional impulse to the Caspian negotiation process", - the official of the MFA of the RF Mr. Alexander Yakovenko has said.
He has emphasized that the meeting of the Ministries of the "Caspian five" will be held in Moscow by the initiative of Russia. "Offering this, - the diplomat has said, - we based on that multisided common interests unite the regional states and they have not a few problems, which require joint consideration and collective solving.
At the same time Mr. A. Yakovenko has noted, "the main goal is in that the Caspian Sea shall be a region of peace, stability, well neighborhood and strengthening cooperation".
Telling about the agenda of the forthcoming meeting of ministers on the Caspian problems, the official of the MFA of the RF has informed that the Ministers particularly "will consider the issue of preparations for the second Caspian summit". He has reminded that on the first Caspian summit meeting in Ashgabad on April of 2000 five presidents have agreed to make their meetings regular.
By the words of Mr. A. Yakovenko, Iran offers to conduct the new Caspian summit meeting in Tehran. Moreover, he has informed, the issue of "strengthening of interaction of the Caspian states in fight against the international terrorism, other new threats and calls" is to be discussed by the MFA of the "Caspian Five".
The participants of the meeting intend to analyze a course of negotiations on working out of the Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea and preparation for agreements on cooperation on separated kinds of activities on the Caspian Sea (consumption of resources, natural protection, fishery, hydrometeorology, navigation and others).
As Mr. A. Yakovenko has said, "The Caspian region occupies the important place in the external political priorities of Russia", - "We care about the good neighborhood with the Caspian states and intend to improve it on bilateral and multisided base", - the Russian diplomat has said.
FOR TWO MONTHS FORECAST ON INCOMES OF THE STATE BUDGET OF AZERBAIJAN HAS BEEN EXECUTED BY 97.7%
18% budget means were allocated to the system of education, 23.7% - to the social sphere and ensuring, 12.8% - development of economy, 12.6% - maintenance of legal, law-enforcement organs, Prosecutor Offices and special services; 3.2% - health. 2.6% of the budget means were spent for culture, art, mass media and work with religious organizations.
For mentioned period expenditure items on education were executed by 64.8%. 85.5% of provided means were spent for maintenance of the law-enforcement organs, Prosecutor Offices and Special services, 53.4% - for development of economy, 107.7% - social needs.
The Ministry of Taxes ensured 69.5% or 618.5 bn manats of total earnings of the budget. The State Customs Committee transferred 19.2% or 170.9 bn manats and earnings from the rest sources made 11.3%.
In accordance with forecasts by 2003, incomes and expenditures of the state budget will increase 10% and the deficiency of budget is forecasted by 0.7% of the GDP. The growth of the GDP is forecasted by 9%. Thus, the incomes of the state budget will make 6.7 - 6.8 trln. mamnats and a volume of the GDP - 37.3 trln. manats.
THE PREMIER OF AZERBAIJAN HAS INVITED EXPERTS OF THE BELARUS CJC "ATLANT" TO PARTICIPATING IN RESTORATION OF FREEZER EQUIPMENT PRODUCTION IN THE COUNTRY
The General Director of the CJC "Atlant" Mr. Victor Shumilo has expressed the readiness for sending experts to the Baku Refrigerators Engineering Plant for studying the situation on the enterprise and making business-plan.
The CJC "Atlant" has its dealer net in Azerbaijan, however the volume of realization of coolers makes about 2 thou units a year. The intergovernmental agreement on free trade between Belarus and Azerbaijan signed during the visit of Mr. A. Rasizade should promote to increasing the given deliveries, it has been noted during the meeting.
The Minsk Freezers Plant, Domestic Chemical Plant, the Baranovichi Bench Engineering Plant join into the CJC "Atlant". The Company produces fridges, freezers and vertical showcases-coolers for trade companies, compressors for fridges, technological complexes for processing of plastics processing, conveyer systems, and washing machines. Each 17 seconds 1 fridges is launched from the conveyers, each 7 seconds - 1 engine-compressor. In 2003 897 thou fridges and 1MM 970 thou compressors were produced.
