International Organizations
Turkish president arrives in New York to participate in UN General Assembly
Turkish President Abdullah Gul arrived in the USA on Saturday to participate in the 65th session of the UN General Assembly, reports Trend, citing CNN Turk. During his nine-day visit he will deliver a speech at the UN summit on goals of the millenium development and hold two summit sessions. Abdullah Gul is to chair the first session of the UN Security Council.DECO 2010 in Teheran
The 3rd International Conference of Furniture, Design and Interior Decoration (DECO 2010) is to take place on 27-28 of September in Teheran, reports Iran News, citing the ISNA agency. Challenges for the furniture industry, opportunities and prospects, creating a specialized industrial zone, new trends in furniture, copyrights, investments, invironmental protection and other issues are to be discussed during the conference, claimed the Entrepreneurial SocietyUN Security Council condemns terrorist act in Vladikavkaz
The UN Security Council has condemned the terrorist act in Vladikavkaz, which resulted in 17 people dead and 160 injured. A bomb exploded on the 9th of September near the central market in the North Ossetian capital, Vladikavkaz. Members of the UN Security Council expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and to the Russian people. The chairman of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, has also expressed condolences.Regular meeting of GUAM National Coordinators Council in Kiev
The 19th session of the National Coordinators Council of the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, chaired by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Olexandr Gorin, took place today in Kiev. Issues surrounding the political coordination of member countries of the GUAM in several international organizations such as the UN and the OSCE. Issues of cooperation with the US and Japan were also discussed.Co-chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group call for ceasefire regime to be maintained
The co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Popov (Russia), Robert Bradtke (USA) and Bernard Fassier (France) have made a joint statement after their visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia, invoking both sides to respect the ceasefire agreement, reports Trend, citing the OSCE website. The co-chairmen visited Baku, Nagorno-Karabakh and Yerevan on September 6-9. On September 8 they crossed the contact line on the Stepanakert/Hankendi road. They also discussed the upcoming visit ofUN expert on human rights of internally displaced persons to visit Caucasus
The Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Walter Kalin, is to visit the South Caucasus region from the 13th to 18th of September, reports Trend. After several meetings in Tbilisi, he will visit Sukhumi and Gali and end his visit in Yerevan. During the visit he will observe the conditions of displaced people suffering from regional conflicts. Refugees issues will be discussed during the meetings with authoritiesCo-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group to visit Baku
The co-chairmen of the Minsk group of the Organisation for Securityand Cooperation in Europe are going to visit Baku on the 7th ofSeptember, reports Trend, referring to the French co-chairman, BernardFasie.According to him, it will be a regional visit and after Baku they willhead to Nagorno-Karabakh and then on to Yerevan. The details of thevisits are being discussed.
Washington agrees to hurry with Nagorno-Karabakh
The USA wants specification of the general principles of Nagorno-Karabakh settlement and a signing of a final document.
Status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh should be changed – G8
espite the visible agreement of the sides, the process does not move any further. In the new season the mediators expect to see actual results of their diplomatic efforts.
Erdogan speaks on new program
Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a speech on the PBS TV channel about Turkish policy. He spoke about the renewal of Syrian-Israeli negotiations under the mediatorship of Turkey, so that both sides can make the corresponding demand and have Israel act according to the norms of international law, TRT reports.Erdogan gave his assessment of events in northern Iraq and the terrorist attacks in the region and the process of Turkey becoming a member of the EU.Iran plans to minimize repercussions of international sanctions
Iran has established a headquarters for special economic actions to be taken against the international sanctions, ITAR-TASS reports, citing Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki.He said that they had taken measures against the sanctions in the past. These measures had helped the country save $180 billion in the past 5 years. Mottaki believes that sanctions are an ineffective method that have never lead to the desired result.G8 leaders to have talks
The Kremlin expects to discuss the measures for fulfilling thenon-proliferation decisions of the G8 summit, the Russian president'sassistant, Sergey Prikhodko, said, ITAR-TASS reports.He said that the G8 leaders at the meeting in Canada will confirmtheir commitment to the two decisions of the two key forums (theWashington summit and the NPT conference) and discuss measures aimedat fulfilling the decisions.South-Eastern European countries summit ends
The summit of heads of South-Eastern European countries in Istanbul ended with approval of the final declaration, TRT reports.The summit considered the terrorist issue that Turkey faces today. The written declaration, besides the final one approved, critizes the latest terrorist attacks.The participants in the summit also considered the Kosovo issue. Despite various diplomatic approaches, the problem must be solved within the framework of European cooperation.PACE has 2 views on ‘freezing’ Russian-Georgian issue
The monitoring commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Councilof Europe (PACE) failed to make a decision on ‘freezing’ talks on theRussian-Georgian issue, with the votes split into two groups, RIANovosti reports, citing the first deputy chairman of the internationalcommittee of the State Duma, Leonid Slutsky.The Russian-Georgian issue has been discussed at almost every sessionof PACE since October 2008, after the military conflict in SouthOssetia.PACE consultations to continue
The Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have agreed to continue consultations, RIA Novosti reports, citing the press-service of the Armenian National Assembly.Armenia proposed that one representative of the opposition from each country should take part. The Armenian delegation was represented by Armen Rustamyan and David Arutiun, the Azerbaijani delegation by Sabir Gadjiyev and Samed Seidov.Summit on cooperation in South-East Europe held in Istanbul
The prosperity and future of the Balkans is being discussed at thesummit on South-East European cooperation in Istanbul, TRT reports.Besides Turkey, participants in the summit are Albania,Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Greece,Croatia, Moldova and Montenegro. This year Slovenia will join thesummit as the 12th member. Turkey will hand over the chairmanship toMontenegro.Russian human rights activists welcome PACE report on human rights in the North Caucasus
Russian human rights activists are welcoming the report of Dick Marty from Switzerland, at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on the situation regarding human rights in the North Caucasus, but they call on European parliamentarians "to be sceptical" and to carefully examine how the statements of the document will be implemented after its signing, RIA Novosti reports.Oleg Orlov, the head of the human rights center "Memorial", says that he evaluates the document highly.
Exhibition devoted to Azerbaijan opened in European Council
The exhibition "Cultural diversity in Azerbaijan" opened today in the framework of the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)Iran is not against cooperation with IAEA
Iran will continue cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran's permanent representative in the IAEA Ali Ashgar Soltani said. It was reported earlier that Iran would not allow two inspectors of the IAEA into the country, Reuters reports.According to Soltani, the prohibition was due to false information spread by the two members of the agency. Soltani said that all other IAEA agents are allowed to come to carry out reviews.
New plenary session at economic forum in St. Petersburg
The world’s leading politicians and businessmen have been meeting atthe International Economic Forum-2010 in St. Petersburg. Theparticipants are discussing the key problems of Russia, developingmarkets and world society and ways to solve the problems, RIA Novostireports.EU approves US sanctions against Iran
The heads of EU countries participated in a summit in Brussels andapproved the new sanctions against Iran, France Press reports.The UN Security Council passed a new resolution on June 9th,introducing new sanctions against Iran for its refusal to stop uraniumenrichment. This was the fourth resolution of the Security Council dueto Tehran’s refusal to follow international regulations on its nuclearprogram, RIA Novosti reports.European Court of Human Rights fines Russia for missing Chechens
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg found Russia guilty in the cases of missing and murdered families in Chechnya. The Russian authorities will pay 470 000 EURO, RIA Novosti reports.EU reminds South Caucasus countries about rapprochement conditions
The foreign ministers of the EU approved a special document onrelations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. According to ArmeniaToday, the document passed at the meeting of foreign ministers inLuxembourg, says that Brussels is ready to strengthen ties with theregion.The Council of EU noted that South Caucasus countries must realizereforms in the sphere of democracy, dominance of law, and respect forhuman rights for more cooperation with EU.Georgia signs program of cooperation with UN
Georgia and the UN have signed a cooperation program for 2011-2015. The document was signed by Nika Gilauri, the Georgian premier, andJamie McGoldrick, the permanent coordinator of the UN organization, reports ITAR-TASS. 188.5 million dollars will be assigned to Georgia for the "Building of a better future for the Georgian people". The main issue for the UN is the social development of the country and the development of democracy.World Bank to give $1 billion credit to Azerbaijan
The World Bank will lend one billion dollars to Azerbaijan over four years in the framework of a new cooperation strategy, Georgia Times reports.The WB will continue financing the construction of highways, bridges and similar projects in the republic. The strategy will be based on previous achievements and results.Azerbaijan has been a member of the World Bank since 1992, since when the bank has financed 45 projects with a total cost of $2 billion.Sanctions against Iran prevent it from joining SCO - Lavrov
Iran cannot join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as longas international sanctions against it are in force, Russian ForeignMinistry Sergei Lavrov said, RIA Novosti reports. However, he alsosaid that there was nothing stopping Iran gaining observer status.Armenian church leader I to visit Canada
Armenia's Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I will arrive in Canada on June17th. He will visit the Armenian Apostolical Cathedral of St. Akop inMontreal, panarmenian.net reports.Aram I will also meet Armenian students and the youth of Montreal. Hewill have meetings with local religious leaders, and Armenian socialorganizations. He will hold a Divine Liturgy on June 20th in theCatholic church of Leval.
UN resolution does not restrict sale of S-300 missiles to Iran - US State DepartmentDepartment
The USA has confirmed that a Russian contract to sell S-300 missilesto Iran will not be restricted by new UN sanctions against the IslamicRepublic, a US State Department spokesman said, RIA Novosti reports.Philip Crowley noted that resolution 1929 is aimed at enhancing thenon-proliferation regime and is connected with global concern over theIranian nuclear program.UN sanctions against Iran will not hit Russian economic interests - Lavrov
Russian interests will not be hurt when new United Nations sanctionsagainst Iran come into force, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovsaid, RIA Novosti reports.The resolution does not imply any restrictions on trade-economicrelations between Russia and Iran, including the nuclear project'Bushehr' or the construction of any other light water reactor. Lavrovconfirmed that the 'Bushehr' nuclear plant in south Iran will belaunched in August of this year.
