AZERBAIJAN AND IRAN PLAN SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT ON FRONTIER COMMUNICATION IN THE NEXT TIME
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
In the next time the delegation of the Ministry Transport of Iran will arrive in Baku with purposes of agreeing of the complete version of the frontier agreement, related to the the railway and its signing, officials of the Ministry of Transport of Azerbaijan have informed "Interfax-Azerbaijan".
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
The Azerbaijan Company Aysberg RM Ltd. has won the investment competition on purchase of the JC "The Baku Refrigator Making Plant "Chinar".
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
The State Statistic Committee plans to conduct the next population census in 2009.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
Turkey renders pressure on international oil companies with a purpose of stopping of oil transportation through the strait of Bosphorus in connection with a growth in dangers of large accidents on the overloaded water way and offers an aid in the construction of roundabout pipelines, the British Financial Times (FT) writes.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
The Iranian National Company of oil-bulk fleet plans investing of $8 bn in the construction of tankers and ships for transportation of the liquidated natural gas (LNG) up to 2020. The forecast was made with accounting of such factors as availability of 10% world supplies of crude oil and 18% of supplies of the natural gas and corresponding growth in export of these kinds of hydrocarbon crude and oil products. A length of sea frontiers by 3 thou km was also taken into account.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
For 7 months of the current year oil transit from the Central Asian Republics to the Black Sea ports of Georgia has through the AzRW has made 5.6 MM tons. As compared with the same period of the past year a volume of the transit of oil and oil products from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan has reduced by 6.7% or by 400 thou tons, officials of the AzRW Office have informed the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan".
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
Russia is ready for guaranteeing of possible agreements between Azerbaijan and Armenia on Nagorni Karabakh, the Deputy of the official of the MFA of the RF Mr. Boris Malakhov has said in connection with the forthcoming visit of the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Elmar Mamedyarov to Moscow on August 17 - 19.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
The President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev has signed Edict on Conduction of the Azerbaijan Year in Russia in 2005 and the Year of Russia in 2006 in Azerbaijan.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
For seven months of the current year the volume of the GDP in Azerbaijan has grew by 9.4% in comparison with the analogous period of 2003. The Director of State Statistic Committee of Azerbaijan Mr. Arif Aliev has informed.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
Since October 2003 up to July of 2004 75845 job places were created in Azerbaijan. The Chief of the State Statistic Committee of Azerbaijan Mr Arif Veliyev has informed about this.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
Deliveries of electric energy to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have started through the new EPTL.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
The Ministry of Ecology and the Natural Resources of Azerbaijan conduct active negotiations with the World Bank on financing of the project of cleaning of oil contaminated territories of the Absheron Peninsula.
BAKU.13.08.2004.MEDIA-PRESS:
For demonstration of capacities of the transport route TRACECA the railway Ministries of Georgia and Kazakhstan plan to put into operation the container train by the route Poti - Baku - Aktau - Almati. As "Interfax-Azerbaijan" has been informed in the AzRW Office, advertising company for potential cargo deliverers in Europe and Asia on behalf of this route is the main goal of this action".
During the visit of the President of Iran Mr. Mohammad Hatami in Baku on August 5 - 7 the project of the agreement was agreed entirely. Tariffs on mutual using of wagons was a single issue, on which there were agreements. So, Iran has suggested applying in mutual accounts tariffs used between the states of the CIS. However, the Azerbaijan railway workers consider that Iran as the country of the far abroad should pay out for wagons for higher international tariffs.
"During long negotiations we have managed to persuade the Iranian side to accept conditions of Azerbaijan", - the official of the Republican Ministry of Transport has said.
By his words, signing of the frontier agreement will make procedure of passing of frontier, as well as customs and other ones easier. Moreover, in document issues of safety of cargo- and passenger activities measures on rendering of assistance in a case of accidents and catastrophes will be determined.
THE AZERBAIJAN AYSBERG RM LTD. WILL BECOME A NEW PURCHASER OF THE JC "THE BAKU REFRIGATOR MAKING PLANT"
As Media-Press has been informed in the Ministry of Economic Development of Azerbaijan, Aysberg RM Ltd. must transfer 1.4 bn manats to the state budget and submit 120 thou privatization cheques during 30 days after signing of the purchase-sale agreement.
During 12 months Aysberg RM Ltd. will invest 9.8 bn manats (about $2 MM). The investing will be carried out in two stages. The means will be transferred for restoration of the equipment and purchases of new one, introduction of modern technologies, reconstruction of industrial areas. Foundation of no less 100 new job places is one of conditions presented to the new owner of the enterprise. Moreover, an average salary in the JC should not be lower than 300 thou manats (about $60).
IN 2009 THE NEXT POPULATION CENSUS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN AZERBAIJAN
As the Director of the SSC Mr. Arif Veliyev has informed, by July 1, 2004 8 MM 300 thou persons lived in Azerbaijan and this exceeds by 0.4% the analogous rate of the previous month.
He has called else one interest figure: in accordance with data of the last census, held in 1999, in spite of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia 657 officially registered Armenians lived outside of the territories occupied by Armenia.
By his words, really this figure is much higher - about 20 thou, however, by recommendation of the UNO submitting of official documents certifying nationality was not required at conduction of the population census.
THE FINANCIAL TIMES: TURKEY SEARCHES WAYS FOR STOPPING OF OIL TRANSPORTATION THROUGH BOSPHORUS
By the words of the Turkish officials, the newspaper of the business circles of England, Ankara has offered "the absolute cooperation" in allocation of licenses for construction of pipelines on the land for oil transportation in conditions of agreeing of companies on stopping of using of oil transportation through Bosphorus.
At the present time the Ministry of Energy of Turkey studies 5 pipeline projects. Two from them provide construction of the oil pipeline by a length by 193. As the FT writes, the Turkish businessman, who has concluded the memorandum on mutual understanding with the Rusisan oil pipeline monopolist "Transneft" and company TNK-BP sponsor one of the projects.
By data of the issue, the MFA of Turkey demands from the international oil companies that they agree for number of "voluntary principles", which would oblige them to use pipelines. The Turkish side believes that if this agreement is not achieved, the pipeline will not be loaded completely.
The FT informs that on July the Turkish officials met in Ankara with officials of the oil companies for discussion of these offers. The other meeting with officials of the Russian oil companies, which are one of the largest consumers of Bosphorus is planned for August.
By opinion of exports, the Russian authorities will scarcely agree with offer of Turkey, as they would account this breaking of a right of Russia on free access to Bosphorus, Sea of Marmora and Straits of Dardanelle and the Mediterranean Sea.
In accordance with the Turkish data, this year 53 thou ships will pass through Bosphorus and 9.5 thou of them - shipped by oil and oil products. The volume of transportation of oil cargos through this strait will make about 160 MM tons and this is by 60% more than 5 years earlier.
IRAN WILL INVEST $8 BN IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TANKERS
By data of the company in the world up to 2020 $70 bn will be required for construction of new special ships for transportation of the LNG and tankers.
THE AZERABAIJAN RAILWAY HAS REDUCED THE TRANSIT OF THE CENTRAL ASIAN OIL TO GEORGIA
By the opinion of the official of the AzRW, reduction of the transit is associated with the conjuncture of the world oil market and plans of oil traders to wait for the profitable conditions for oil export in conditions of growth in prices for it.
At the same time the Azerbaijan railway workers note that in forthcoming autumn-winter period have made almost about 12 MM tons and exceeded the rate of 2002 by 4%.
THE MFA OF THE RF: RUSSIA IS READY FOR GUARANTEEING OF POSSIBLE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA ON NAGORNI KARABAKH
"Russia welcomes the continuation of the dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia on various levels, and in the first turn of the Presidents of two countries", - Mr. B. Malakhov has said. By his words, officials of Moscow think, "the participants of the conflict should find out mutual acceptable adjustment of the conflict. " "Russia is ready for rendering active assistance to them on both on a bilateral base and as the co-chairman of the Minsk Group of the OSCE and for guaranteeing of achieved agreement", - the Deputy official of the MFA of the RF has said and noted that discussion of the problems of the Nagorni-Karabakh adjustment is within frameworks of negotiations of Mr. E. Mamedyarov in Moscow.
By the words of Mr. B. Malakhov, during the visit of the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan "it is supposed to conduct exchange of opinions on the present situation in the process of working out of the legal status of the Caspian Sea and prospects for conduction of the second Caspian summit will be considered".
The Deputy Official of the MFA of the RF has said that the foreign ministers of Russia and Azerbaijan "suppose pay especial attention to anti-terrorist problems, agreeing of approaches of both countries to the further close interaction, practical steps in the fight against terrorism in all its appearances".
"Exchange of opinions on actual issues of the regional and international situation, ways of strengthening of role of the UNO, improvement of interaction within frameworks of the CIS", - Mr. B. Malakhov has said.
"Ways of deepening of cooperation between the MFA of Russia and Azerbaijan in Caucasus and the world, co-ordination of their actions in the international organizations" will be discussed also.
The Russian diplomat has noted that "especial attention will be paid to discussion of course of execution of agreements achieved between the Heads of the states, directed to intensification of economic cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan, particularly twice increasing of goods turnover between two countries and growing of it up to $1 bn in the next years, improvement of efficiency of interaction in fuel-energetic complex, development of frontier relations, cooperation of the subjects of Russia and Azerbaijan.
MR. ILHAM ALIYEV HAS SIGNED THE AGREEMENT ON CONDUCTION OF YEAR OF AZERBAIJAN IN RUSSIA
The organization committee on conduction of the Year of Azerbaijan and Year of Russia will be founded in accordance with the Edict. The Premier of Azerbaijan Mr. A. Rasi-zade has been appointed the Chief of the Committee.
Agreement on conduction of the Year of Azerbaijan and the Year of Russia has been achieved during the official visit of Mr. I. Aliyev to Moscow on February.
FOR SEVEN MONTHS THE GDP HAS INCREASE BY 9.4% AS COMPARED WITH THE ANALOGOUS PERIOD OF 2003
By his words, it was expected that the growth will make 10.6%, however it has occurred for this, because on July oil production on the offshore platform "Chiraq-1" was stopped. Moreover, as compared with other countries of the CIS, the GDP in Azerbaijan one of the highest.
The growth of industrial production in accordance with results seven months made 4.4%. The external trade turnover has increased more by 30%.
As to the foreign investments to the economy of the country, Mr. A. Veliyev has informed, that for seven months they made $2.2 bn and this is higher by 20% than for the analogous period of the past year. For total period of the independence of Azerbaijan investments to economy of the country made $15 bn.
The largest growth of investments was registered in the construction. In comparison with the past year capital investments to this field have grown by 6.8%.
As to situation in agriculture, Mr. Veliyev has informed that harvest has completed mainly - 2 MM of grain has been gathered. Now harvest of corn is gone and supposedly about 150 thou tons of it should be gathered.
By the words of the Director of SSC, incomes of the population for seven months have grown by 19% and an average salary has increased up to 464 thou manats (4902 manats/$1). At the same time Mr. A. Veliev has emphasized that the State Statistic Committee has emphasized about 20% of incomes of the population and naturally is not registered in reports. Mainly, this relates to such activity, which is impossible for control. The Director of SSC has called such kinds of activities as coaching, repairs and construction of dwelling house by hired workers and others.
FOR 10 MONTHS ALMOST 76 THOU JOB PLACES WERE FOUNDED IN AZERBAIJAN
50 thou job places are constant and the rest are temporary or seasonal. Above 31 thou job places were founded on the new enterprises, 15705 - on the present and 2957 are restored job places. The most number of job places (18860) were founded in the Central - Steppe Economic zone and Baku - 16800.
The new job places were distributed in the following way by the fields: 8.8% - in the construction, 6.6% - in the trade sphere, 2.9% - in the state institutions, 6.2% - in the processing industry. The foreign companies and joint enterprises created 6.4% from the new job places.
As to the work of foreigners in Azerbaijan, Mr. A. Veliyev has noted, that 2500 foreigners have been registered in the country as working. However indeed these figures have not show real picture as many officials do not work here officially.
THE NEW ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION LINE BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND IRAN HAS STARTED ITS WORK
As Media-Press has informed in the press service of the JC "Azerenerji", by the new EPTL, up to 40 MWt of electric energy will be delivered owing to what the autonomous Republic will receive up to 140 - 150 MWt instead the present 110 MWt. Within frameworks of improvement of energy supply of the Nakchivan Autonomous Republic, which is the Armenian blockade, as it is known, was built in the Azerbaijan Julfa. A cost of construction of the EPTL "Julfa - Julfa" by a length of 800 m and substation has made $1.5 MM.
For seven months of the current year the autonomy has received 640.9 MM kWt/hours of electric energy. 332.5 MM kWt/hours were delivered from Iran, and about 229.7 MM kWt/hours - from Turkey, about 78.8 MM kWt/hours were produced on the local hydroelectric station "Araz".
THE WORLD BANK AND THE MINISTRY OF ECOLOGY OF AZERGBAIJAN CONDUCT NEGOTIATIONS ON FINANCING OF THE PROJECT OF CLEANING OF OIL CONTAMINATED LANDS OF THE ABSHERON PENINSULA
As Media-Press informs with a reference to the Ministry of Ecology, resolutions of the WB and the government of the country on this issue are prepared. We shall note that the WB intends to allocate $14 - 15 MM for cleaning of oil-contaminated lands of the Absheron Peninsula, where main onshore oil and gas fields of Azerbaijan are situated. It is supposed to divide the contaminated lands by sectors and attract officials of the private sector to the cleaning as well as ones the- state and the WB's officials. As square of oil contaminated territories of the Absheron Peninsula exceeds 30 thou hectares. Entire cleaning of these territories may require up to $10 bn.
So, as it has been noted in the Ministry of Ecology, at the same time searches of nonstandard approaches is gone for searching of means inside the country and beginning of large-scaled cleaning works and creation of such conditions when the further contamination would be impossible.
It is planned to start the realization of the contaminated Absheron Peninsula lands cleaning in 2005.
And it will not be the first similar project. As Media-Press has informed, the cleaning of 10 hectares of oil-contaminated lands is conducted already. $5.1MM has been allocated for recultivation of them. The given work is the constituent part of the Urgent Ecological Investments Programs (UEIP) by a cost of $24.5 MM. Besides it includes the projects of cleaning the territory of the Sumgayit Plant of the Surface Active Substances from the mercury contaminations, improvement of the ecological management and dangerous wastes managing. The fishery plant in Neftechala has been built also within frameworks of the UEIP.
Besides of the WB, the government of Azerbaijan, grants of the Japanese government and British Know-How Fund support the UEIP.
AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA AND KAZAKHSTAN WILL PUT INTO OPERATION THE CONTAINER TRAIN THROUGH THE EURASIAN TRANSPORT CORRIDOR TRACECA
By the words of the AzRW, presently a number of wagons and volume of cargos, which will be delivered by the first demonstration train, is determined.
Presently, the transportation of containers from Europe to Asia and back, particularly of the humanitarian aid to Afghanistan is carried out mainly by the territory of Russia and Iran.
"We as country-shareholder of the project TRACECA, should try to attract in maximum way this cargo flow to the Eurasian corridor", - the official of the AzRW has said.
For growing of the transportation within TRACECA it is important to reconstruct the container terminal of the Baku International Sea Port, which stays idle really up to date.
The trasport route Europe - Caucasus - Asia (TRACECA) connects Frankfurt (Germany) with Shanghais (China). Azerabaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kirgizstan share the program.
