THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN WILL VISIT IRAN IN THE END OF JANUARY OF 2005

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliev will visit officially Iran in the end of January of 2005. "Main hopes on this visit are associated with taking more serious measures in development of bilateral cooperation and signing of full agreements", - the Ambassador of Iran in Baku Mr. Afshar Suleymani has said.

IN BAKU THE AZERBAIJAN-IRAN NEGOTIATIONS ON DIVIDING OF THE CASPIAN SEA WILL BE HELD

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The next round of the Azerbaijan-Iran negotiations on problem of the Caspian Sea will be held in Baku up to the end of the year, the Ambassador of Iran in Azerbaijan Mr. Afshar Suleymani has said.

THE ITALIAN BANK INTESA INTENDS TO LEAVE THE CONSORTIUM OF CREDITORS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF OIL PIPELINE BAKU - TBILISI - CEYHAN

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Italian Bank Banca Intesa has sold part of its share in financing of the construction of oil pipeline BTC and conducts negotiations on sales of remained share, the British Financial Times informs.

THE SOCAR PUTS LARGE HOPES ON THE STRUCTURE "BABEK"

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The SOCAR intends to start drilling of the exploration well on the perspective offshore structure "Babek" situated approximately in 90 km from Baku in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea.

FOR JANUARY - NOVEMBER THE SOCAR HAS PRODUCED 8.231 MM TONS OF OIL

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Since the beginning of the year the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan and the JC formed by its sharing have produced 8.231 MM tons of oil and this is by 0.7% or 53.5 thou tons more than for the analogous period of the past year.

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR 4.577 BN CUBIC METERS OF GAS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: For 11 months of the current year 4.577 bn cubic meters of gas have been produced and this is more than 3.5% then it has been forecasted.

ON NOVEMBER THE MEOD OF THE SOCAR HAS EXPORTED 136.404 THOU TONS OF OIL AND 77.686 THOU TONS OF OIL PRODUCTS

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Marketing and Economic Operations Department of the SOCAR has exported 77.686 thou tons of oil products.

RUSSIA OFFERS TURKEY ASSISTANCE IN OPTIMIZATION OF TRAVELLING OF SHIPS IN BOSPORUS

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Russia offers assistance in optimization of the traveling of ships in Bosporus. The Minister of Industry and Energy of the RF, the chief of the Russian part of the Russian-Turkish intergovernmental commission on trade-economic development Mr. Victor Khristenko has declared to the journalists about this.

CURRENCY SUPPLIES OF THE NATIONAL BANK OF AZERBAIJAN HAVE MADE $873.16 MM

BAKU.03.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The currency reserves of the National Bank of Azerbaijan (NBA) made $873.16 MM by state on the 1st December of 2004. As compared to the beginning of the year when they made $757.1 MM, growth made 15.33%.

THE LAW "ON LIVING WAGE" HAS ENTERED INTO FORCE IN AZERBAIJAN

BAKU.03.12.2004. MEDIA-PRESS: The law "On Living Wage" has entered into force in Azerbaijan. According to the law at calculation of living wage cost of food goods and nonfood ones is taken into account as well taxes and other liable payments.

AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA AND SYRIA HAVE JOINED OFFICIALLY OT THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT ROUTE "NORTH-SOUTH"

BAKU.03.12.2004. MEDIA-PRESS: Iran, Russia and India confirmed official inquiries of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Syria on joining to the agreement on ITR "North - South", - the General Secretary of the ITR "North - South" Mr. Mohammad Javad Atrchiyan has said.

THE GERMAN BUSINESSMEN WILL ARRIVE IN BAKU

BAKU.03.12.2004. MEDIA-PRESS: On the 5th December the German businessmen will visit to Baku. The Deputy Minister of Economy and Labor of the FRG on external economic issues Mr. Karl-Ernst Browner will lead the delegation.

TOURIST COMPANIES OF AZERBAIJAN, WHICH DOES NOT TAKE PART IN THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS MAY STAY WITHOUT LICENSES

BAKU.03.12.2004. MEDIA-PRESS: By to date in Azerbaijan 135 - 140 tourist companies have licenses. However, further if these companies do not take part in international exhibitions, these companies will not receive licenses. The Minister of Youth, Sport and Tourism of Azerbaijan Mr. Abulfaz Garaev has said.

IN 2005 IN AZERBAIJAN INSPECTION OF ALL HOTELS OF THE COUNTRY WILL BE CONDUCTED

BAKU.03.12.2004. MEDIA-PRESS: The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Tourism of Azerbaijan have conducted inspection of eight hotels on subject of determination of their class. The Minister of Sport and Tourism Mr. Abulfaz Garayev has said this.

THE NEXT MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA WILL TAKE PLACE IN SOFIA

BAKU.03.12.2004. MEDIA-PRESS: The next meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia will take place on the 5 - 6th of December in Sofia within frameworks of the sitting of the Council of the Foreign Ministers of the countries-members of the OSCE. The Foreign Minister of foreign ministry of Azerbaijan Mr. Elmar Mamedyarov has said in interview to the TV channel ATV of Azerbaijan.

THE NEW AMBASSADOR OF GREECE IN AZERBAIJAN HAS BEEN ASSIGNED

BAKU.03.12.2004. MEDIA-PRESS: Greece has appointed new Ambassador in Azerbaijan. As the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan" has been informed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic, the new Ambassador Temistokles Dimidis was born in 1948, graduated from law faculty of the University of Athens.