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THE GOVERNMENT OF AZERBAIJAN AND THE WB HAS COMPLETED THE PREPARATION OF TWO NEW PROJECTS

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The government of Azerbaijan and the WB has completed the preparation of two new projects. "Pensions and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan" and "Investments to Countryside Communities".
As Media-Press has been informed in the Baku Office of the WB, both the projects will be discussed by the Board of Directors of the Bank in the end of May - beginning of June. Credit by a total of $10 MM will be allocated supposedly to the first project and $15 will be allocated to the second one.
The State Fund of the Social Protection of Population will spent partially the credit on the project "The Pensions and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan" and the other portion of the credit will be transferred to accounts of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population.
Introduction of private account cards for each working person and creating of the computer database, where all information about labor activity of each person, the service length, monthly payments to the Social Protection Fund will be kept is one of components of the project. Such base will simplify significantly the procedure of pensions registration. Pensioner should only appeal to the Pension Fund and not spend a time for getting a lot of inquiries. The volume of pension will be calculated depending on the total transferred to the Social Protection Fund during all service length. The Social Protection Fund will realize this component of the project. And the Ministry of Labor should be carrying out the work on improvement of social payments addresseness.
The project "Investments to the Village Communities" supposes allocation of grants to village communities for the realization of the different projects. Basically these projects will provide the improvement of infrastructure. Grants by a total o $35 thou up to $50 thou will be allocated. For this regional operation offices will be founded in the regions and they will help communities to develop in developing projects and preparations of documents. The realization of this project will include three regions of the country: The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, lowland part of the Shirvan zone (Yevlakh, Agdash, Geychay, Ujar, Kurdamir, Gajugabul, Zardob) and the Mugan zone (Salyan, Imishli, Saatli, Sabirabad, Neftchala, Bilyasuvar and Jalilabad).
We shall not that in the current finance year of the WB, which ends on June 30, the Bank intends to allocate $50 - $70 MM to Azerbaijan. Besides of the mentioned projects, credit for the project "The Development of the Market Relations" will be allocated.


THE ASTRAKHAN REGION AND AZERBAIJAN WILL CONCLUDE THE AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Astrakhan Region of Russia and Azerbaijan intend to sign the agreement on bilateral cooperation. Today the delegation of Azerbaijan under the head of the first Vice-Premier of the Government Mr. Abbas Abbasov has come to Astrakhan with state visit.
"During the visit we intend to sign the agreement between the Azerbaijan Republic and Astrakhan Region, which provides cooperation in the field of navigation, biological resources, oil production, ship making, transport and culture", - the Ambassador of the Republic in Moscow Mr. Ramiz Rizayev who has joined into the staff of the delegation has informed the agency "Interfax-Yug".
"As well we intend to open the monument to the great official of the Azerbaijan people Nariman Nariman in the town Narimanov on Tuesday", - he has noted.
In his turn, the Astrakhan governor Mr. Anatoly Gujvin has note, that "restoration of the economic, trade and cultural relations, which existed between Azerbaijan and the Astrakhan Region before collapse of the USSR is the main goal of the visit".


THE MINISTRIES OF INTERIOR OF AZERBAIJAN AND PUBLIC SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAVE SIGNED THE AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The agreement on cooperation between The Ministry of Public Safety of the PRC and Ministry of Interior of Azerbaijan has been signed after negotiations between chiefs of these ministries Mr. Jow Yunkan and Ramil Yusubov.
Mr. Jow Yunkan has estimated the development of the Chinese-Azerbaijan relations as successful and highly estimated the support of the Azerbaijan and Tayvan and Tibet issues as well as in struggle with the terrorist forces, which support foundation of so called "Eastern Turkestan".
The Chinese Minister has declared the readiness of law-enforcement organs of the PRC to more active cooperation with the Azerbaijan colleagues in the struggle with terrorism; illegal drugs business and organized criminality.
In his turn the Minister of Interior of Azerbaijan Mr. Ramil Yusubov has noted that cooperation of law-enforcement organs of two countries is necessary for providing security and stability.


THE AZERBAIJAN FRONTIER GUARDS WILL CONDUCT MANEUVERS IN THE CASPIAN SEA

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: In the next time the Azerbaijan frontier guards should conduct maneuvers in the national sector of the Caspian Sea. As the Director of the State Frontier Guard Service of Azerbaijan Mr. Elchin Guliyev has said to the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan", the maneuvers will be conducted in the next two weeks.
The check of the preparedness of the SFGS for fight against the breakers of sea frontiers and other kinds of crimes on frontier are their goal. By the word Mr E. Guliyev, participation of representatives from other Caspian states is not planned.


THE PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA HAS CALLED ACTIONS OF THE OPPOSITION AS A BETRAYAL

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: On Sunday before his departure to Paris the President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan has called actions of opposition as "a betrayal" for their intension to held mass meeting under slogans of changing power in republic on April 27 in Erivan.
As Mr. R. Kocharyan has declared to the journalists, on April 27 in Warsaw, to where the Armenian delegation under the head of the President of Armenia will depart, his next meeting with the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev will be held and supposedly versions of adjustment of the Nagorni Karabakh conflict are planned.
"On this stage during similar negotiations organizing of similar measures by the opposition is a betrayal at least", - R. Kocharyan has said. It the Armenian opposition does not realize its actions, then this may be called "a political crime" by the words of the President.


THE CITIZEN OF THE USA CONDEMNED IN PREPARATION OF THE COUP DE'ETAT HAS BEEN ARRESTED

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The General Prosecutor Office of Armenia has interrogated and then arrested the citizen of the USA, the former citizen of Yerevan Mr. Artur Vartanyan.
"Artur Vartanayn took active part in meetings of opposition in Erivan, actions for violent power capture", - the Chief of the Social Relations and Information Department of the General Prosecutor Office of Armenia Gurgen Amabaryan has said.
As it is noted in the information of the General Prosecutor Office, as it has been revealed during the interrogation, the arrested person lives constantly in the USA since 1991 and since 2002 is the citizen of this country.
At the same time he has saved the passport of citizen of Armenia and many times crossed illegally the frontier of the country, took part in the political and election processes.
When he came in Armenia on April 11, he actively took part in demonstrations organized by the opposition. The General Prosecutor Office of Armenia has informed the MFA of the country about the mentioned facts. In accordance with the Constitution of Armenia, its citizens may not be citizens of another state.
By the words of officials of the oppositions, the policy has searched in the Yerevan flat of the friend of Artur Vartanyan and did not anything illegal.
For the present the Embassy of the USA has not reacted in any way on the arrest of its citizen.
But on the other hand actions of the Armenian authorities in the recent events and pressure on the opposition most likely have troubled the World American Congress, which declared that "the political crisis Armenia threats by the scaled destabilization of the social-political situation".
"The political crisis continued in Armenia threats by the scaled destabilization of the social-political situation in the country. We want to remind to the government that the applying rubber truncheons, tear-gas and special means is not the most effective mean of communication with own people. Applying these methods seriously threats by discrediting authorities of the country both into the republic and abroad", - it is said in the Declaration of the World Armenian Congress and Union of Armenians of Russia.
"The World Armenian Congress and Union of Armenians of Russia attentively watches for the development of political crisis in Armenia, - it is noted in the Declaration. - By our opinion this crisis will complicate else more the position of the country, break possibilities of Armenia for remove social-economic problems of the country; it will not promote to adjustment of existing problems in relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan; their adjustment demands uniting efforts of all Armenian people. At the present time there is not more important objective than restoration of stability of power in Armenia, its authority in the country and abroad", - it is noted in the declaration.
It is interesting that the authors of the declaration show transparently enough at significance of the Armenian foreign community for Armenia and seemingly warn the official Yerevan from errors. "We hope that our call will be heard and Armenia will manage to adjust the crisis by own forces and that there nobody will allow development of the conflict and appearance of a necessity of intervention from the side of the Armenian foreign community or the international community", - the declaration of the World Armenian Congress and Union of Armenians of Russia emphasizes.


DAYS OF THE AZERBAIJAN CULTURE HAVE STARTED IN THE UNITED ARABIAN EMIRATES

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The days of the Azerbaijan culture have started in the capital of the UAE Abu-Dhabi. The Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan Mr. Polad Bul-Bul 0gli has opened them. The gala-concert of musicians, singers and dancers have been held.
The program of this event includes exhibition of old carpets and suits, musical instruments, pictures and handicrafts. The Baku Chamber Orchestra will execute the most famous productions of the Azerbaijan composers for residents of the Emirates' capital. Concerts of public songs and dances will be held. Signing of bilateral cultural cooperation is to be signed and in accordance with it conduction of cultural days of both the countries will become tradition.
Mr. Polad Bul-Bul Ogli has given the private message of the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev addressed to the President of the OAE Sheikh Zaid Ben Sultan Al-Nahayan ito the hands of the Minister of Information and Culture of the OAE Mr. Abdalla ben Zaid al-Nachayan. The interest of Azerbaijan in development of relations with the OAE, gratefulness for supporting the Azerbaijan positions by the OAE on the international forums were expressed into the letter.


THE PORTUGAL ROCOL HAS PURCHASED THE SECOND MAY PARTY OF OIL OF THE SOCAR

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Portugal company RocOil has purchased the second May party of oil of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan being exported by the pipeline Baku - Novorossiisk.
As Media-Press has been informed in the Marketing and Economic Operations Office of the SOCAR, RocOil has won the tender on purchasing 140 thou tons of oil. Its shipment from the port of Novorossiysk is planned by the third decade of May.
On May the SOCAR plans to transport 220 thou tons of oil by the pipeline Baku - Novorossisk. The British company Arcadia has won a tender on purchasing the first party of this oil by a volume of 80 thou tons.
The SOCAR has accepted a volume of the Azerbaijan oil exportation by the route Baku - Novorossiisk as in 2003 - 2.5 MM tons. In accordance with the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Azerbaijan on oil export signed on January, 1999 it is prolonged automatically each year if one of the sides does not inform another one about its intension of stopping the agreement. The sides may bring changes into the agreement by mutual agreeing.


KAZAKHSTAN AND AZERBAIJAN CONFIRM THE ADHERENCE TO VARIOUS VERSIONS OF ENERGY RESOURCES TRANSPORTATION

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: "The Caspian region has large opportunities for deliveries of hydrocarbons to the international markets. Azerbaijan supports various versions of pipeline systems", - the Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Khalaf Khalafov has declared speaking out on the session "The Caspian Sea and Central Asia" within frameworks of the third Eurasian media-forum helding in Almati.
He has noted that in addition to existing routes of transportation of the Azerbaijan oil to the world markets, the construction of the pipeline Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan is conducted.
"To date we conduct negotiations with Kazakhstan, which actively supports the construction of BTC. I think that in 2004 Kazakhstan will join to this pipeline", - Mr. Kh. Khalafov has said.
At the same time he has not excluded the construction of other regional oil pipelines, "if the Caspian states have such capacities and supplies, which would justify the idea of various versions of oil deliveries to the world markets. "The question is about diversification of routes of transportation of oil resources. I think that in this relation we are right from the point of view of geological policy, safety, economic purposefulness", - Mr. K. Abuseitov has said.


THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OIL PIPELINE FROM KAZAKHSTAN TO CHINA WILL START ON AUGUST

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Kazakhstan and China suppose to start the construction of the oil pipeline Atasu - Alashankow, which will allow to export the Kazakhstan oil to China on August 2004, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of Kazakhstan Mr. Vladimir Shkolinik has said. It is planned to complete the line part of the pipeline on December 2005.
The cost of the construction of the piece of Atasu - Alashankow by a length of 988 km will make $700 MM. It should be built from the oil-bulk railway platform on the station Atasu in the Karaganda region (in the center of Kazakhstan) up to the frontier with China in the region of the railway Druzba - Alashankow.
Atasu - Alashankow is the second stage within frameworks of the project of the construction of oil pipeline from Kazakhstan to the PRC. The first part of the Kazakhstan - Chinese oil pipeline - the piece Atirau - Kenkiyak by a length of 449 km and capacity of up to 12 MM tons was built in the spring of 2003.
Totally the length of the oil pipeline Kazakhstan - China will make 3000 km and cost of the construction - $3 bn.
By the words of the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Mr. Kasimjomart Tokayev, the presidents of both the countries will sign the agreement on the construction of the oil pipeline on May in Peking.
"Mainly Kazakhstan and China will finance the project, though attraction of credits is not excluded", Mr. Tolkayev has said. By his words, the oil pipeline will operate effectively if up to 20 MM tons of oil are pumped through it. "The Chinese market is very large so we will not compete with other oil suppliers including Russia", - he has noted.
Moreover, the Minister has noted that Astana is interested in participation of Russia in operation of the oil pipeline from Kazakhstan to China. "There are sufficient volumes of oil in Kazakhstan for filling up this pipeline, however we would like the Russian oil also here", he has declared and added that as well China is interested in this.
By his words, it has been planned initially that oil will be delivered only to the processing plant in China, however the Chinese side offered to construct the pipeline for possible oil exportation. "So the significance of this project grows". - Mr K. Tokayev has said.


RUSSIA WILL NOT LIMIT OIL PRODUCTION AND EXPORT

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Russia does not intend to join to actions directed to limitation of the production and export of oil. The Minister of Finance of the RF Mr. Alexey Kudrin has declared about this in lobbies of the spring session of the IMF and WB and the next meeting of the Ministries of Finances of countries of "Large Eight".
"We will not take part in measures on limitation of the production and accordingly export and hope that prices for oil will stabilize", - Mr. Kudrin has emphasized.
He has noted that Russia is not supporter of "the highest prices" for oil. "It is more important for us that they will stable", - the Minister has said and noted that level of prices for oil affects on payment balance of the country and economy as a whole.
"We are interested in the stable tendencies, which are profitable for creation of the investment climate and conduction of business", - Mr. Kudrin has emphasized and noted that level of prices for oil within ranges $23 - $27 is optimal for the Russian economy.


IN 2005 STATOIL WILL PRODUCE GAS IN IRAN

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Norway Company Statoil has announced that the industrial production of natural gas on 6 - 8 stages of the project of development of the Iranian field South Pars in the Persian Gulf is planned for the beginning of 2005.
Statoil is the operator of these three stages, which are accounted for the development of supplies by a total volume of 650 bn cubic meters of gas. The production will be at a level of 36.5 bn cubic meters per annum.


ARE THERE GAS DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN IRAN AND TURKEY AGAIN?

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: In spite of approaching of date of price revision Iran will not agree with request of Turkey on reduction of export prices for gas. The Director of the National Iranian Gas Company Mr. Mohammed Meleki has declared. By his words, in accordance with the agreement between two countries sides may consider changing prices for gas once per three years. The Turkish authorities constantly raise this issue, however Iran has never yielded. In some cases negotiations on this problem continued for three months, moreover up to date the sides have not agreed, the Chief of the National Gas Company of Iran has noted.
Mr. Melaki has informed that in accordance with the agreement between the sides, Iran should deliver 18 MM cubic meters of as per diem to Turkey. However up to date Turkey takes only 12 MM cubic meters.
There are many similar examples in the history of the short cooperation between Tehran and Ankara in the gas sphere. For a long time the sides could not agree on start of deliveries of the Iranian gas: Turkey under a pressure of economic crisis did not need in excessive gas supplies and could not pay out for them. So Ankara tried to delay start of the Iranian gas import under various causes. When deliveries started, Turkey began to insist on changing prices for delivered "blue fuel".


THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE OPEC OPPOSES TO INCREASING VOLUMES OF OIL PRODUCTION

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Minister of Energy and Industry of Qatar Mr. Abdalla ben Khamad Al Attiya, who was on the post of the President of the OPEC for a long time has opposed to increasing volumes of production and oil export to the world energetic markets.
"We would support resolutely increase of export volumes if we are sure in deficiency of oil on crude markets. An now if we increase production volumes even this will not mean automatic solving of the problem of high prices for oil", - Mr. Al-Attiya has said.
Despite of that the OPEC produces 3 MM bbl of oil per diem above established quotas, prices for oil are still extremely high", - the former President of the OPEC has said.
"At the present time prices for oil exceed all reasonable limits approximately by $5 for a barrel. This occurs for political reasons and have nothing common with tendencies of the world energy markets development", - Mr Al-Attiya has said.
By his words of Mr. Al-Attiya, "The OPEC still keeps corridor of prices for oil within ranges of $22 - 28 for a barrel as the most reasonable and for the present the management of the cartel have not received any official offers on correcting this corridor".


THE PLACE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW SUBSTATION "KHACHMAZ" HAS BEEN DETERMINED

BAKU.26.04.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The specialists of the JC "Azerenerji" and Mission of the Islamic Bank of Development (IBD) have discussed technical and finance issues of the construction of the substation "Khachmaz" and other aspects of the realization of given project.
As press service of the JC informs, the experts of the IBD have visited in the region of supposed construction of the substation and discussed documentation prepared by the Azerbaijan side. As "Azerenerji" has noted, a place of construction of the station was agreed on this state of the negotiations. By opinion of the mission of the IBD, the place offered for the construction is optimal. Now the sides should execute preparation measurements and start tender measurements.
The feasibility report of the construction of 330 kV substation "Khachmaz" was presented to the IDB else in the past year. It has been prepared by the Azerbaijan company Energy C&I jointly with the famous transnational consulting company "Dar El Khandasi". The IBD has been a creditor of the project estimated by $14 MM.
The realization of the project has a number of advantages. The substation, which will be fed from the EPTL Yashma - Derbendi is designed for serving the northern regions of the country, where over 500 thou persons live. This will allow improving a mobility and security of the power system and electric power distribution in this region, reducing losses at transportation. There is a circumstance of no small importance that construction of the second turn of the EPTL Derbend - Yasma, by which a power exchange with Russia is carried out at the present time enters into perspective plans.

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