“Open Government Initiative National Action Plan for 2016-2018s”

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has signed an order to approve the “Open Government Initiative National Action Plan for 2016-2018s”. The Cabinet of Ministers was instructed and the Anti-Corruption Commission was recommended to regularly analyze the work done related to implementation of the Action Plan and inform the President about it.  

Armenians violated ceasefire with…

The situation on the contact line between Azerbaijan and Armenia has remained tense as the Armenian Armed Forces shattered ceasefire a total of 117 times throughout the day, using 60, 82 and 120 mm mortars, large caliber machine guns and artillery, Azerbaijan`s Defense Ministry said. The ceasefire was violated in Kohnagishlag village in Agstafa region, Gizilhajili village and nameless hills in Gazakh region, Agdam, Alibayli, Agbulag, Kokhanabi villages in Tovuz region and nameless hills in Gadabay region, Goyarkh, Yarimja, Chilaburt villages in Terter region, Shikhlar, Bash Gervend, Javahirli, Sarijali, Kangarli, Novruzlu, Yusifjanli, Nemirli villages in Aghdam region, Kuropatkino village in Khojavand region, Garakhanbayli, Horadiz, Gorgan, Ashagi Seyidahmadli villages in Fuzuli region, Mehdili village in Jabrayil region, as well as nameless hills in Goygol, Goranboy, Khojavand, Fuzuli and Jabrayil regions. In consideration of the operational situation, Azerbaijani armed forces inflicted 121 strikes on Armenian positions.  

Five new documentary films on Azerbaijan were produced in the United States

Supported by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as Azerbaijan’s Consulate General in Los Angeles, five new documentary films on Azerbaijan were produced in the United States. The films have already been televised over 20 TV channels in the United States. Azerbaijan’s Consulate General in Los Angeles said that the documentaries provide information about Azerbaijan’s rich and colorful culture, history, traditions, beautiful nature and tourism opportunities, they highlight the steady development of Azerbaijan as an independent nation, and the country’s positive multiculturalism and successful model of multi-faith tolerance and harmony, which allow for Muslims, Christians, Jews and representatives of other faiths to continue to live together in peace and mutual respect. By the end of 2016, the films will be shown by 50 television stations located in 21 U.S. states, including California. The documentaries were filmed and produced by ECONEWS Television and Radio Series functioning in Los Angeles. ECONEWS is a 3-Time EMMY-nominated series that has produced over 600 environmental television shows since 1984, and 2000 Environmental Directions Radio shows since 1977. ECONEWS is a United Nations Environment Programme Global 500 Laureate. ECONEWS Host Nancy Pearlman and her film crew visited Azerbaijan to film the documentary shows in both Baku and various regions of Azerbaijan.  

International Caspian and Central Asia Downstream Conference

Opening ceremony of the SOCAR International Caspian and Central Asia Downstream Conference - Trading, Logistics, Refining, Petrochemicals, the event dedicated to 93rd anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev jointly organized by Baku Higher Oil School and Confidence Capital, UK with SOCAR’s support, was held in Baku. Government officials, public figures, top managers of SOCAR, parliament members, company representatives from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Georgia, as well as experts invited from various countries took part in the conference. Before the official part of the ceremony, the participants paid tribute to the memorial of national leader Heydar Aliyev at the Alley of Honor. Elmar Gasimov, rector of Baku Higher Oil School underlined that the conference was dedicated to the 93rd anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev and was a demonstration of the profound reverence to the personality and effective professional services of the national leader, the founder of modern Azerbaijan and the oil strategy, now successfully pursued by President Ilham Aliyev. He also said that the goal for organizing the conference was to promote the achievements made in the national oil strategy, as well as to focus the experts on the recent development of Azerbaijan in the areas to be tackled during the event, while facilitating development of relations among the participants representing various regions and ensure information exchange between SOCAR and international partners. SOCAR Senior Vice President and Chair of the Conference Programme Committee Khoshbext Yusifzade talked about Heydar Aliyev’s merits directed to the oil industry development and wished all participants success. Azerbaijan`s Energy Minister Natig Aliyev, chair of the State Statistics Committee Tahir Budagov, Chairman of Azerikimya Manufacturing Union Observation Council, MP Mukhtar Babayev and rector of Azerbaijan State University of Economics Adalet Muradov talked about the significance of the above conference. 70 specialists from 19 countries of the world arrived in Baku to join the Conference. Some 23 specialists and experts will represent Azerbaijan. In total, there are 150 participants from host country. International conference will last for 3 days during which 9 sessions on various topics will be held. The event participants will have the opportunity to visit SOCAR’s production sites.  

16 quake and 12,492 are injured

The death toll from Ecuador's magnitude-7.8 earthquake climbed to 654 Saturday evening, the country's Risk Management Office said, according to CNN. The agency also reported that 58 people remain missing since the April 16 quake and 12,492 are injured. It also announced that almost 26,091 people remain in shelters.  

Tanker in the Caspian Sea

Fire on the Russian PALFLOT 2 tanker in the Caspian Sea has been extinguished, said in a joint statement of the Azerbaijan's Ministry of Emergency Situations, the State Maritime Administration and Caspian Shipping Company JSC. According to the ministry, around 9:35AM, 23 April, the National Center for State Maritime Administration received SOS signal about a fire on the Russian-flagged unladen PALFLOT-2 tanker, which was 110km from the coast. As a result of measures taken by Ministry and JSC fire was completely extinguished at 18:06.

Azerbaijan in the tourism sector abroad…

The Portonovi complex will give additional impetus to the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Montenegro, said Montenegro's Prime Minister Milo Dukanovic Apr.23.  He made the remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony held in Montenegro's Kumbor town for construction of a five-star hotel which is a part of the Portonovi project financed by the Azmont Investments company, Montenegrin media reported. The corporate parent behind Azmont Investments is Azerbaijan Global Investments (AGI), a consortium of three leading Azerbaijani Investment Holding companies. Opening 2017, Portonovi Montenegro is a world-class resort community with a state-of-the-art marina. The Portonovi lifestyle experience will include Europe's first One&Only resort, which will organically complement the Espace Chenot Health Wellness Spa and Yacht Club conceived by Winch Design. Envisioned on a human scale, this sophisticated nautical universe also harbours an iconic collection of villa's and residences, set amid a constellation of high end boutiques, vanguard gastronomic venues and lively leisure offerings. Addressing the ceremony, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Azmont Investments Ahmet Erentok said that the Portonovi project is the largest investment made by Azerbaijan in the tourism sector abroad.

Passport data on Internet

Turkey suspects Russia of spreading the personal data of 50 million Turkish citizens online, the Haber7 newspaper reported Apr.18 citing the investigative data. The passport data of the Turkish citizens was spread by Russian hackers, according to the report. Ankara court will send a request to Russia soon for the full investigation into the issue. Earlier, some Turkish media outlets reported that the passport data of 50 million Turkish citizens was leaked online. However, Turkey's Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication Binali Yildirim dismissed those reports.  

The Days of Dagestan will be held in Baku

The head of Dagestan Ramazan Abdulatipov will visit Azerbaijan's capital on May 12-13, head of the republic's mission in Baku Marat Askanderov told Trend Apr. 18. During the visit, Abdulatipov will meet with Azerbaijani officials, in particular with the country's Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov, as well as Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Askanderov said. The Days of Dagestan will be held in Baku on May 12-13, within the framework of which a series of events will take place.  

Azerbaijani-Iranian bilateral and multilateral relations and cooperation in various fields

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani in Istanbul. The presidents hailed dynamic development of Azerbaijani-Iranian bilateral and multilateral relations and cooperation in various fields. They pointed to wide opportunities for developing cooperation, and stressed the importance of intensifying reciprocal visits and such meetings in this regard. During the conversation, they had a broad exchange of views over the events that happened on the line of contact of the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops in April. President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan does not want war. "But we had to retaliate the provocative actions of the Armenian military units." The head of state expressed his gratitude to the President of Iran for phoning him and expressing his concerns about the events. They discussed the activity of the Minsk Group. The issues of cooperation in oil and gas field were also discussed. The importance of continuing the negotiations to determine the legal status of the Caspian Sea was underlined. It was noted that this would contribute to elevating the relations between the two countries in political, security and other fields to a higher level. The presidents of Azerbaijan and Iran discussed the development of the relations and cooperation in a variety of areas, including visa regime, tourism, financial and e-banking sectors, fight against extremism, terrorism and radicalism.