Spezzatura

OPEC again revised down its estimate for world crude demand on Wednesday, saying a "devasting contraction" in consumption would keep prices under pressure in the months ahead. "In the coming months, the market is expected to remain under pressure from uncertainties in the economic outlook, demand deterioration and the substantial overhang in supply," the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries wrote in its latest monthly report. It said "vigilant monitoring is essential" ahead of the cartel's next meeting at the end of May at which some members are expected to push for further output cuts to help support prices. "Oil demand is suffering more and more from the world economic recession," it said, saying this had resulted in another downward revision in its forecast for demand this year of 0.4 million barrels per day (bpd). OPEC estimated that demand would contract by 1.37 million bpd or 1.6 percent in 2009. In its previous monthly bulletin released in March, OPEC had been pencilling in a contraction of 1.01 million bpd for 2009. "World oil demand is already out of its high demand seasonality achieving nothing but devastating contraction," OPEC said. Earlier this week, Iran's OPEC minister, Mohammad Ali Khatibi, had suggested the cartel could cut oil production again if global demand for crude continues to fall in the near future. "If demand continues to fall until the next meeting of OPEC, a further output cut is possible," Khatibi was quoted as saying by Iranian daily Hamshahri. OPEC's next meeting is in Vienna on May 28. OPEC has reduced its oil production target by an overall 4.2 million barrels per day since September to 24.84 million bpd, the lowest level since just after the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. On Sunday, Iran's Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said the reductions adopted by OPEC up to now have helped stop prices from falling further in the past few months. Iran, OPEC's second largest crude producer, favours a global oil price of between 75 and 80 dollars a barrel. Oil prices hit a peak above 147 dollars in July last year but have fluctuated this year between 40 and 55 dollars. OPEC has said it sees 75 dollars as the price at which investment in exploration and production becomes profitable. On Wednesday, world oil prices were up as traders eyed a fresh supply disruption in crude producer Nigeria ahead of the weekly energy stocks report in key consumer the United States. London's Brent North Sea crude for May delivery added 60 cents to 52.56 dollars per barrel. New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in May, rose 68 cents to 50.09 dollars a barrel. A fire at a key Shell pipeline in volatile southern Nigeria has led to a production loss of 180,000 barrels a day involving a range of companies, an industry source said Wednesday. The loss includes 130,000 barrels per day for Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, 30,000 barrels for French group Total and another 20,000 barrels from various other operators, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. ссылка

Armenia has started the construction of a 240-million-dollar pipeline to import oil products from Tabriz oil refinery in north eastern Iran. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan told journalists that the 300-km pipeline will pump Iranian oil products including gasoline and diesel fuel into Armenia. In December 2008 Iran and Armenia reached an agreement in a number of fields including energy, oil, petrochemistry and tourism. "The pipeline would be a safe route for importing oil products to Armenia that will increase security of energy supply and decrease the cost of fuel import," Movsisyan said on Tuesday. Iran and Armenia have also inaugurated a 140-km gas pipeline intended to reduce Yerevan's reliance on Russian gas. The 220-million-dollar project was launched in March 2007. Russia's recent row with Ukraine, which disrupted gas flow to Europe during Christmas holidays, triggered many countries to consider alternative sources of energy in a bid to cut their dependency on Russia. Based on agreements signed by Iran and Armenia, for each cubic meter of Iranian gas, Armenia will return 3 kilowatt of electricity to Iran. ссылка

Трем странам в мире: Исландии, Ирландии и Австрии – в большей степени, чем другим, грозит дефолт, заявил нобелевский лауреат в области экономики за 2008 год Пол Кругман. В группе риска находятся Эквадор, Филиппины, Малайзия, Таиланд, Колумбия, Турция и Украина. Об опасности дефолта для этих стран говорили МВФ, Всемирный банк, агентство Moody's и другие. Украину, кстати, эксперты называли страной, балансирующей на грани дефолта. В апреле о близости к дефолту экономики Украины заявил американский миллиардер и инвестор Сорос. По его мнению, «серьезные проблемы» также имеются у стран Балтии, которые, как и Украина, считаются одними из наиболее пострадавших от кризиса государств. остальное тут

After the concert, Ms. Zelevski, the survivor, said she was “surprised” and “very excited,” seeing things were possible “not by war.” Debating the rights and wrongs of the conflict among themselves, some of the elderly Israelis commented that the Palestinian musicians were “only children” and were not to blame. остальное тут

Moscow next stop in three-way talks ANKARA - The leaders of Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan may meet in Moscow to discuss the status of the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region, an Azerbaijani territory occupied by Armenia, reported the PanArmenian news agency. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is said to be participating in the April 16 summit, along with Russian and Azerbaijani presidents Dmitri Medvedev and Ilham Aliyev. Turkish diplomatic sources, however, said no such meeting was being planned. The PanArmenian news agency reported that Aliyev would likely lodge complaints in Moscow, where he is going at the invitation of Medvedev, about the prospect of the Turkish-Armenian border being reopened without resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Russia is involved in the Minsk group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is working to end the Armenian-Azerbaijani stalemate on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, and holds the status of co-chair, along with France and the United States. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan during its conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Both Azerbaijani leaders and public opinion have expressed serious concerns over the possibility of the border between Turkey and Armenia being re-opened. Baku’s reaction to reports that Ankara and Yerevan are close to a deal is no secret. Aliyev refused to attend the Alliance of Civilizations summit in Istanbul earlier this month, a move that was seen as a protest against the pending border move. Ankara, trapped between Yerevan and Baku, has begun closely cooperating with Moscow in order to create a Caucasus security and stability pact, reported the PanArmenian news agency. Turkey has moved quickly in the wake of last summer’s Russian-Georgian war to devise a way to bring divided parties around the same table to discuss the future. The proposal to create a stability pact to address security concerns in the Caucasus is expected to help normalize Turkish-Armenian ties. Moscow has been defending the establishment of diplomatic ties between two countries since 1993. Today, Russian companies control 70 percent of Armenian industry. Russia began to operate the Armenian State Railways Authority last year. In the meantime, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan’s visit to Yerevan to attend the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, or BSEC, summit could be in jeopardy due to another important meeting on Pakistan. Japan, a member of the U.N. Security Council, will host a donors meeting for Pakistan on Friday that Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardali is set to attend. The World Bank will co-chair the Tokyo meeting, aimed at "helping Pakistan address its difficult challenges, such as economic reform and the fight against terrorism," Japan’s foreign ministry announced previously. Diplomatic sources said it was not yet clear if Babacan would attend the BSEC meeting, on April 16 and 17, but that he is unlikely to attend the Tokyo summit, where state minister Mehmet Aydın is expected to represent Turkey. ссылка

Военнослужащие таиландской армии, приступившие к разгону демонстрации на одной из главных магистралей Бангкока, открыли огонь по протестующим. Об этом утром в понедельник сообщает агентство Reuters. В результате столкновений пострадали по меньшей мере 68 человек, двое из них находятся в критическом состоянии, добавили в медицинской службе Бангкока. Как подчеркнули в пресс-службе армии, солдатам пришлось открыть огонь по демонстрантам после того, как те забросали военнослужащих бутылками с зажигательной смесью. При этом военные сперва произвели несколько предупредительных выстрелов в воздух, однако протестующие не прореагировали и продолжили оказывать сопротивление армии. Между тем, по сообщениям Agence France-Presse, военнослужащие армии Таиланда не стреляли по демонстрантам, а лишь произвели предупредительные выстрелы в воздух, в результате чего участники акции протеста разбежались по примыкающим улицам. Военная операция по разгону акции протеста в столице Таиланда началась около шести утра понедельника по местному времени (около 03:00 по Москве). Сообщалось, что подразделения таиландской армии общей численностью в 400-500 человек начали оттеснять демонстрантов с главной магистрали Бангкока, применяя против них, в том числе, слезоточивый газ. Протестующие в ответ попытались на автомобиле протаранить ряды военнослужащих, а затем забросали их "коктейлями Молотова". Массовые беспорядки, устроенные сторонниками бывшего премьер-министра страны Таксина Чинавата, начались в Бангкоке 12 апреля. В результате последовавших столкновений легкие ранения получили премьер-министр Таиланда Aпхисит Ветчачива и его заместитель. В Бангкоке было объявлено чрезвычайное положение; в город ввели войска. ссылка

Капитан американского судна "Маерск Алабама" Ричард Филлипс, захваченный в плен сомалийскими пиратами, освобожден. Об этом в воскресенье телеканалу CNN сообщил источник, знакомый с ситуацией. По предварительным данным, трое из четырех пиратов, удерживавших американца, уничтожены, еще один арестован. Филлипс при освобождении не пострадал и находится в "хорошем состоянии", рассказал источник. Филлипс находился в плену с 8 апреля, когда пираты попытались захватить "Маерск Алабама". Команда судна, доставлявшего в Кению гуманитарную помощь, отбила нападение, однако пиратам удалось забрать с собой капитана. Злоумышленники на моторной лодке отправились к берегу Сомали. Представители пиратов связались со СМИ и заявили, что готовы отпустить американца за выкуп, сумма которого не называлась. Подробности операции по освобождению капитана пока не раскрываются. Как сообщается, Филлипс в данный момент находится на борту военного корабля ВМФ США "Бэйнбридж", который был направлен в район нападения на "Маерск Алабама". Между тем в ночь на воскресенье американский контейнеровоз под охраной эсминца достиг кенийского порта Момбаса. К расследованию инцидента с "Маерск Алабама" приступило ФБР. Сотрудники ведомства уже допросили моряков, отбившихся от пиратов, напоминает CNN. ссылка

THE IRANIAN-TURKISH BORDER: A HAZARDOUS HAVEN FOR SMUGGLERS Jonathan Lewis Smuggling along Turkey’s frontier with Iran is a low-reward, high-risk proposition, in which one of the occupational hazards is being shot at. But tough economic conditions in southeastern Turkey mean that there is no shortage of traffickers in illicit petrol. Mustafa and his son, Ekin, are among the seasoned smugglers who have made numerous nighttime crossings over the mountainous Turkish-Iranian border to procure petrol in Iran for resale in Turkey. On one recent trip, father and son loaded empty jerry cans on either side of four horses, and then took to the hills along the frontier, where they would wait for the right moment to make their move into Iran. On this particular occasion, they were a little more nervous than usual. Only two nights before, two teenage brothers had tried to evade border guards and the $3-per-horse bribes that many smugglers pay in the hope of securing a "safer" passage. Spotted, border guards opened fire on the brothers, killing one and leaving the other in a local hospital with a shattered leg. Mustafa recounted that the same brothers had been shot and wounded in 2008. The news gave all smugglers reason to pause. But smugglers along this stretch of the frontier tend to be the type who quickly set aside their fears. That is because the potential profits from their activities -- typically amounting to about $60 per horse per trip -- represent a relative fortune in an area that is intimately acquainted with poverty. In admitting his fear about making a trip so close to the shooting incident, Ekin said the tension when crossing the border was routinely intense. "Guys who smoke, do not smoke when we get close to the border," he said. Once across the border and in Iran, Turkish smugglers meet up with Iranian contacts and quickly do their deals. Modern technology abets the illicit trade, as most fuel purchases are arranged in advance via text messages and mobile phone calls. Iranian contacts also help arrange the return trip, with bribes once again serving as a sort of travel insurance. Still, no amount of bribe-offering can completely eliminate the possibility of arrest, or coming into the crosshairs of a border guard’s rifle. This trade is viable due to the differential between Turkish fuel costs, which are at standard European Union levels, and the subsidized petrol and diesel costs in Iran. There is little petrol refining performed within Iran, so it is mostly purchased from aboard and is in turn discounted by up to 80 percent for consumer sale. This high level of subsidization allows for a generous profit for those who smuggle it into Turkey. If all goes well on any given procurement mission, the smuggled fuel is quickly transported from local villages to larger population centers using trucks with additional hidden tanks. In some cases, drivers may fill up cars with large tanks then head for the nearest city, where much of the tank’s contents is siphoned and sold, leaving the driver with just enough left to make the return trip to his home village. Once the smuggled petrol is unloaded in cities and large towns, it is sold at illegal street-side stalls on backstreets, or even from secret pumps within garages. This phase of the smuggling operation also has its hazards, underscored by the existence of a fenced-off lot on the outskirts of Van, the largest city in the area, where row after row of confiscated cars and trucks sit. The vehicles were evidently seized on account of their alleged involvement in smuggling operations. ссылка

Right intentions but wrong dialect ISTANBUL - Whether by gaffe or by wily political maneuvering, the newly launched, state-run Armenian radio station is broadcasting in the Eastern Armenian dialect, which is incomprehensible to nearly everyone outside of Armenia. Officials were unaware and say they are now investigating Turkey’s new Armenian radio station launched by the state to serve the Armenian community in the country missed the mark by launching in a dialect that is incomprehensible to the local Armenians. The new radio station launched by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, on April 2 is using the Eastern Armenian dialect in its broadcast, used mainly in Armenia. The rest of the world’s Armenian communities, including the one in Turkey, use Western Armenian, also called "Askharhapar." While the two dialects cannot be described as totally unintelligible to each other, different uses of the same words and accents make most communication between the speakers of the two dialects very problematic in the least. Western Armenian, developed of Istanbul origin, is considered the modern Armenian dialect in the Armenian world. Another factor illustrating the importance of Western Armenian is that the classics of Armenian literature have been written in it since the 19th century. Eastern Armenian is the official language of Armenia and is also spoken by the Armenians in Iran. The difference between the Western and Eastern Armenian dialects is one of the forthcoming subjects on the agenda of the newly founded Ministry of Diaspora of the Armenian Government. Turkey’s Chief Negotiator to the European Union Egemen Bağış expressed surprise at the situation last Friday night and said he will investigate. In a speech before an annual meeting on the European Union and Turkey, sponsored by daily Radikal and the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, Bağış defended the ruling party's outreach into state broadcasts in "local languages." The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, seeks no political advantage with its new initiatives in Kurdish, Armenian and other languages other than "to create a better communication channel with all of our citizens," the chief negotiator said. When told most local Armenians did not understand the broadcasts, Bağış said: "I hadn't a clue. This is the first time I have heard this. Perhaps TRT could only find news presenters speaking this dialect, I just don't know. But I will look into it." One major problem faced by young Armenian Turks is their lack of proficiency in speaking their mother tongue even though most graduate from minority schools. Lack of proficiency also precludes them from following a radio station broadcast in a different dialect. While the government has initiated efforts for the establishment of Armenian language and literature departments at universities, the current lack of academic teaching at the university level has taken its toll on the development of the language. Some Armenian Turks tried to establish a private Armenian radio station a decade ago, with efforts led by journalist Hrant Dink, who was gunned down in 2007. Lack of funds prevented the establishment of the station. ’Target not own citizens’ While the Armenian Society of Turkey had abandoned hope of getting their own radio frequency; they were surprised with TRT’s Armenian broadcast. Etyen Mahçupyan, editor in chief of the weekly Agos newspaper, speaking to the Daily News, said: "This means Turkey’s target audience is Armenia, not their own citizens. This initiative is for supporting the foreign policies of Turkey; therefore, it is not sincere. It bears thought that Turkey makes such an initiative without trying to find out what its own citizens need." Mıgırdiç Margosyan, a world famous Armenian writer, said he agreed with Mahçupyan and added, "What is being done is unfair; this broadcast is not addressed to us." Pakrad Öztukyan, an editor for Agos, indicated that the Armenians of Turkey cannot understand or speak Western Armenian. "I do not know of TRT’s broadcasting policy. If the target audience is Armenia, broadcasting in Eastern Armenian is the right decision," Öztukyan said. ссылка

Алиев отменил полет в Стамбул Президент Азербайджана Ильхам Алиев отменил намечавшийся визит в Турцию для участия в работе двухдневного саммита «Диалог цивилизаций» под эгидой ООН, который сегодня завершится в Стамбуле. Эксперты связывают это с позицией Анкары в отношении Армении: накануне высокопоставленные чиновники в Баку заявили, что, если Турция откроет свою границу с Арменией, Азербайджан ответит адекватными мерами и даже может перекрыть идущую к соседям газовую трубу. Азербайджанская делегация представлена на форуме на уровне главы Госкомитета по работе с религиозными структурами Идаята Оруджева. Данный саммит посвящен вопросу укрепления и развития межкультурного взаимопонимания, и в его работе принимают участие президенты, премьер-министры и главы МИДов около 30 государств. Поэтому отправку в Стамбул госчиновника на уровне руководителя госкомитета некоторые аналитики поспешили квалифицировать как политический демарш. Между тем Баку воздерживается от обнародования официальной версии случившегося, а посол Турции в Азербайджане Хулуси Кылыч, по сути, признав факт отмены Ильхамом Алиевым визита в Стамбул, заявил накануне, что воздерживается комментировать решение президента. «Могу просто сказать, что готовилась программа в связи с планирующимся визитом президента Азербайджана в Турцию», – заявил журналистам турецкий дипломат. В отсутствие официальной информации местные газеты предположили, что главной причиной отмены визита стала просочившаяся в печать информация о намерении Анкары в ближайшие дни открыть границу с Арменией, которую Турция закрыла в 90-е годы из-за карабахского конфликта и оккупации Арменией 20% территории Азербайджана. В частности, влиятельное американское издание Wall Street Journal недавно назвало даже дату – 16 апреля. Правда, турецкие дипломаты и в Вашингтоне, и в Анкаре предпочли воздержаться от конкретики, подтверждая только определенный прогресс на переговорах с официальным Ереваном по нормализации отношений между двумя странами. Следует заметить, что Баку в принципе не против нормализации отношений между Анкарой и Ереваном, но его настораживает перспектива открытия границы между двумя странами, которая в том числе будет использована для усиления военной мощи Армении, тогда переговорный процесс по урегулированию армяно-азербайджанского конфликта может зайти в тупик. Именно по этой причине в последние дни официальный Баку устами спикера парламента Октая Асадова и министра иностранных дел Эльмара Мамедъярова напоминал Турции об обещаниях не открывать границы с Арменией до урегулирования конфликта вокруг Нагорного Карабаха. Дело приняло такой оборот, что отреагировать на ситуацию пришлось руководителям Турции. «Уже больше 17 лет США, Россия и Франция в составе Минской группы пытаются решить проблему, существующую между Азербайджаном и Арменией. До тех пор, пока не разрешен нагорнокарабахский конфликт, мы не сможем принять рационального решения в отношениях с Арменией», – заявил турецкий премьер-министр Реджеп Тайип Эрдоган на пресс-конференции в Лондоне. По его словам, на нынешнем этапе готовится фундамент отношений с Арменией, предпринимаются шаги в этом направлении. «Мы пытаемся подготовить к этим отношениям и себя, и весь регион», – заметил Эрдоган. Вслед за ним успокоить Баку взялся и президент Турции Абдулла Гюль, который заметил, что информация американского издания Wall Street Journal, а также других периодических изданий не соответствует действительности. Так оно или нет, станет известно после завершения визита в Турцию президента США Барака Обамы, администрация которого оказывает давление на Анкару, требуя нормализовать отношения с Арменией, подразумевающего открытие границы с этой страной. ссылка

АХРЕНЕТЬ

Не знаю где этому место, поэтому вешаю здесь. Особо улыбнул пассаж ниже... The ‘Path of Anatolia’ Visitors to the festival pay $10 admission and immediately upon entering the fairgrounds pass through the long "Path of Anatolia." Built and designed after careful consultation with art history professors, this road brings visitors down a path that boasts 11 archways with information about Hittite, Trojan, Urartu, Phrygian, Lydian, Ionian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman cultures. At each archway, there are two people to greet visitors dressed in those cultures' costumes. остальное тут

Просто вылез в окно Неудавшийся убийца армянского политолога сбежал из тюрьмы В ереванской тюрьме 1 апреля не обошлось без происшествий. Из исправительного учреждения сбежал гражданин Грузии Аршак Агабабян (известный также как "Турок Аршак"), который отбывал наказание за попытку убийства армянского политолога. Заключенному не понадобилось изобретать какой-то изощренный план или использовать сложные технические устройства. Как теперь констатирует следствие, он "воспользовался халатностью сотрудников тюрьмы". Агабабян дождался, пока его направят на работы на тюремный склад, а затем, открыв металлическую решетку, вылез в окно. История с покушением на армянского политолога Левона Мелик-Шахназаряна весной 2008 года получила существенный резонанс как в Ереване, так и в Баку. Сам он предположил, что его убийство пытались организовать азербайджанские спецслужбы. Азербайджанскими СМИ в ответ было высказано мнение, что никакого покушения не было, а политолог, дескать, пытается сделать себе пиар на этом скандале. "Турок Аршак", как установило следствие, был одним из двух исполнителей готовившегося убийства. Агабабян, уроженец Армении, с конца 1980-х годов жил в Грузии и имел грузинское гражданство. В Грузии он познакомился с неким азербайджанцем по имени Ахан, который и предложил ему убить армянского политолога, пообещав в качестве награды 10 тысяч долларов. Заказчик мотивировал свою просьбу тем, что Мелик-Шахназарян часто выступал с критикой в адрес азербайджанского руководства, а также внутренней и внешней политики этой страны. Сам политолог позднее предположил, что поводом для недовольства в Азербайджане и возможным мотивом для убийства стали, в частности, его публикации о процедурных нарушениях при назначении Ильхама Алиева (ныне президента страны) главой правительства. Агабабян и его односельчанин - некий Герман Конджорян - согласились выполнить заказ. Получив аванс в размере 500 долларов, они прибыли в Армению. По словам Мелик-Шахназаряна, они долго готовились к убийству, изучали подступы к его дому в деревне Птгни и пути отступления. В итоге Конджорян решил застрелить свою жертву через окно, однако попытка не удалась. Пуля, выпущенная из пистолета, срикошетила от оконной решетки. Между тем неудавшиеся убийцы, как рассказал позднее политолог, были уверены, что выстрел достиг цели, и даже доложили об этом заказчику. Когда же выяснилось, что Мелик-Шахназарян жив, Агабабян и Конджорян стали звонить ему, требуя, чтобы он инсценировал свою смерть, сменил фамилию и прекратил выступления в прессе (а "убийцы", таким образом, могли бы получить с заказчика деньги). В случае отказа они угрожали расправиться с его семьей. Политолог записал телефонные разговоры с угрозами, а затем передал записи полиции. Позднее они стали одним из доказательств обвинения. Кстати, комментируя произошедшее, он предположил, что жизнь ему спасла не столько оконная решетка, сколько "коррупция во властных структурах Азербайджана". Как утверждает политолог, на его убийство были выделены большие деньги (откуда он получил эту информацию, неизвестно), однако значительная часть суммы разошлась не по назначению. Одного из исполнителей - Аршака Агабабяна - задержали в начале мая 2008 года на армяно-грузинской границе. Суд признал его виновным в покушении на убийство общественного деятеля, а также в незаконном хранении оружия, и приговорил к 12 годам тюрьмы. Его дело пересматривалось в апелляционном суде, однако в итоге он сбежал, не дождавшись окончания этого процесса. Его сообщник - Герман Конджорян - до сих пор находится в розыске. Поиски сбежавшего заключенного пока не принесли результатов. В связи с возможной угрозой для жизни семьи политолога полиция организовала круглосуточную охрану Левона Мелик-Шахназаряна и его близких. ссылка

By Harut Sassounian The government of Azerbaijan, using its considerable oil income, has been waging a propaganda campaign to win over U.S. politicians and denigrate Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh). To accomplish these twin objectives, Azerbaijan has spent millions of dollars over the past three years to hire several major lobbying firms, such as the Livingston Group; JWI; Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates; and Melwood Communications. In addition, the consulate general of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles hired Sitrick & Company over a year ago and later replaced it with the Tool Shed Group, founded by Jason Katz, the former director of public affairs for the American Jewish Committee. While Azerbaijan’s embassy, with the support of its lobbying groups, has been targeting top U.S. officials in Washington, D.C., its consulate in Los Angeles has been more interested in countering the political influence of California’s large Armenian community. Fortunately, neither the embassy nor the consulate has had much success. Recently, the embassy of Azerbaijan tried to get Members of Congress to go on record condemning Armenia for the alleged killings of hundreds of Azeris in 1992 during the Artsakh war. Despite concerted efforts by its high-powered lobbying firms, Azerbaijan succeeded in convincing just 1 out of 535 members of the House and Senate to do so. Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), the co-chair of the Congressional caucus on Turkey, was the only member of Congress who made remarks about this highly controversial incident. Azerbaijan was even less successful in California, despite its heavy investment of time, money, and manpower. Back in 2005, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev appointed Elin Suleymanov, a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, as Azerbaijan’s first consul general to Los Angeles. Suleymanov told the Azeri Press Agency that one of his key assignments was to counteract the political clout of California’s Armenian community. He promptly wrote a letter to the owners of a theater in Los Angeles, requesting the cancellation of an Artsakh-related event organized by a local Armenian group. The diplomat’s complaint was summarily dismissed and the event took place as scheduled. Sueleymanov’s failure cannot be attributed to his lack of enthusiasm and energy. He has actively tried to promote Azerbaijan’s interests, while missing no opportunity to belittle Armenia and Artsakh. The lobbying firms hired by his government have arranged for him to tour Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan, Oregon, Wyoming, and parts of California to deliver speeches to university students, greet local politicians, and have guest editorials published under his name in obscure newspapers. Suleymanov even visited the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and claimed that there are racial similarities between Azerbaijanis and Native Americans. A student at the University of Montana quoted Suleymanov as stating that Native Americans actually originated from the region of Azerbaijan and that is why the consul general “felt a certain kinship for tribal people of the U.S., like brothers or cousins.” A major accomplishment of Azerbaijan’s lobbying firms was arranging the visit of four California legislators to Baku in September 2007. Reciprocally, several members of Azerbaijan’s parliament and a minister have visited California more than once in the past three years. Nevertheless, despite Azerbaijan’s intensive lobbying of California legislators, only 1 out of 120 members of the State Assembly and Senate agreed to send a letter to President Aliyev in February 2009 expressing sympathy for “the victims of Khojali.” This letter, signed by assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, was copied from a draft provided by lobbyist Jason Katz. It was noteworthy that Katz had raised the possibility of sending friendly legislators on junkets to Azerbaijan. California state assemblyman Paul Krekorian (D-Glendale) worked to prevent other legislators from signing the Azerbaijani letter by alerting his colleagues about the falsehoods contained in it. The lone letter signed by Fuentes was hailed by Suleymanov as a major victory for Azerbaijan. The Azeri media disseminated that letter worldwide, misrepresenting it as a condemnation of an alleged “genocide” committed by Armenians! The government of Azerbaijan and its representatives in the United States do not seem to realize that it is not in their best interest to denigrate and provoke the influential Armenian community in California. It was no mere accident that Suleymanov’s recent appearance at California State University at Northridge was greeted with a student protest. Should Azerbaijan’s consul general and his hired guns continue to disseminate falsehoods about Armenia and Artsakh in the western U.S., Armenian Americans could neutralize the propaganda by establishing a public affairs office for Artsakh in LA, as a branch of the one now operating in Washington, D.C. ссылка

By David Boyajian By any objective measure, the two-year-old campaign against the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) denial of the Armenian Genocide has been a spectacular success. The ADL, the Jewish American community, Israel, and Turkey were taken by surprise and shaken to their roots. As shockwaves from the campaign spread, Turkey’s ambassador to Israel cut short his vacation to return to Tel Aviv to complain to Israeli leaders. Grassroots Armenians in Massachusetts have flexed, and continue to flex, their political muscles as never before, targeting the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the elected officials and human rights commissions of 14 cities: Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Easton, Lexington, Medford, Needham, Newburyport, Newton, Northampton, Peabody, Somerville, Watertown, and Westwood. As a result, they have all ceased sponsoring No Place for Hate (NPFH), the alleged anti-bias program created, trademarked, and funded by the ADL. Successful Results Among campaigns initiated by Armenian Americans, only the Congressional genocide resolution has generated more exposure and controversy. The campaign has spawned thousands of news reports, editorials, commentaries, radio interviews, and letters in non-Armenian media in the U.S. and around the world. The battle against the ADL and NPFH has underscored to non-Armenians that the genocide issue directly affects them, their cities, and their schools. Armenian Americans now have a louder voice in their communities. And those who deny the genocide have been put further on the defensive. Exposing the ADL’s holocaust hypocrisy reportedly helped to push the House Foreign Affairs Committee into approving the Armenian Genocide Resolution two years ago. The campaign is the main reason why recent news reports on the strained relations between Turkey and Israel refer to the Jewish lobby’s collusion with Turkey in genocide denial. Other denialists, such as the American Jewish Committee and B’nai B’rith, have also been exposed. Armenian Leaders Fall Short Sadly, outside Massachusetts, Armenians and lobbying organizations such as the Armenian National Committee of America and Armenian Assembly of America have done little to defend Armenians and others against the ADL’s denialism and programs. This is a major failure. Even in Massachusetts, the Armenians who have been fighting the ADL are mostly grassroots activists and several ANCA leaders. With rare exceptions, our so-called Armenian leaders in politics, academia, business, journalism, law, medicine, and the Church have remained shamefully silent and uninvolved. The reasons? Laziness and, in my opinion, an unwarranted fear of criticizing a Jewish organization. The fact is that the Massachusetts campaign has drawn enormous support from non-Armenians, many of them Jews: human rights commission members, city officials, journalists, academicians, and more. Armenians must not permit genocide denial, whether by a Turkish, Jewish, or any other kind of group. The ADL and America As Americans, Armenians have a wider responsibility to expose the ADL and similar organizations that falsely claim to espouse “human rights.” ADL programs besides NPFH, such as World of Difference (WOD), have infiltrated thousands of cities, workplaces, law enforcement agencies, and public schools, the latter often attended by Armenian American children. When Glendale’s Hoover High issued an invitation to WOD, the Armenian community put a stop to it, but only—only—because it was aware of the campaign in Massachusetts. WOD even tried to penetrate St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School in Watertown. Were it not so damaging to society, it would be laughable that an organization that conspires with Turkey to cover up mass murder is strong-arming countless American citizens—children, teachers, workers, law enforcement officers, and ordinary citizens—into its “anti-hate” and “tolerance” training programs. Some ADL members who conduct these programs may be well intentioned. But the national ADL leadership is not. It is clear, particularly given its collusion with Turkey, that the ADL is a political, not a civil or human rights, group. Its “human rights” programs are a cover—a way to influence and buy unsuspecting Americans who will later support, or at least not criticize, the ADL’s foreign and domestic agenda. Incredibly, ADL agents have also conducted illegal surveillance of African Americans, Latinos, labor unions, and others. The police chief of Arlington, Mass., has even admitted that the ADL provides police with investigative intelligence that they cannot legally obtain themselves. One can surmise, therefore, that the ADL may operate covertly against Armenian Americans. Continuing the Campaign There are compelling moral and practical reasons why Armenians must continue this campaign. Human rights experts say that the Armenian Genocide was—and denial of any genocide is—an offense against humankind as a whole. All people, therefore, Armenians included, have a responsibility to confront denialists. Even Israelis acknowledge that Israeli-Turkish accords include an unwritten proviso that top Jewish lobbying groups such as the ADL work against Armenians on virtually every issue of concern to Armenian Americans, such as military aid to Azerbaijan and Turkey. According to political analyst Harut Sassounian, for example, AJC and B’nai B’rith officials issued “a public pledge to help enact pro-Azeri and pro-Turkish legislation and counter Armenian and Greek initiatives in the U.S. Congress.” Exposing the holocaust hypocrisy of the ADL and other organizations reduces their credibility and, therefore, their ability to damage Armenian American interests. Even locally, ADL members have worked against Armenian interests. A top ADL officer and well-connected Boston figure, Peter Meade, has made himself the main opponent of the proposed Armenian Heritage Park—which includes a genocide plaque—on Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway. Will Armenian Americans confront organizations that harm not just their interests, but also those of the wider American society? In Massachusetts, yes. Elsewhere, it remains to be seen. ссылка

This week, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) suffered a similar trade-off, when Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Baghdad and met with Kurdistan Prime Minister Nechervan Barzani (the grandson of Mustapha). The latter promised that the Kurdistan-based PKK would lay down its arms completely - thereby ending a state of war with Turkey that has lasted for 30 years - in exchange for a full pardon for all Kurds who had fought the Turkish government. Clearly, Barzani had not consulted with the PKK before making Gul his offer. The PKK immediately snapped back, saying that Barzani's offer was "wrong, because it benefits nobody but enemies of the Kurdish people”. Barzani - whose meeting with Gul was a remarkable event in its own right - added that he would not allow non-state players, like the PKK, to use the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan as a base to launch war against Turkey. Gul said, "I told him [barzani] explicitly that the PKK terrorist organization and their camps are ... in your region [and] you need to take a clear position against them. Once the PKK is eliminated, there are no bounds to what is possible: you are our neighbors and kinsmen." For his part, Barzani said, "We are determined, and we confirm again our territory will not be used to attack Turkey." Falling in line with the "new mood" in relations between Turkey, Iraq and the Kurds, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, recently said that creating an independent Kurdish state - his dream for over five decades - was "impossible", describing it as a "dream in poems". His comments were carried in the Turkish daily Sabah. "I tell this to my Turkish brothers: don't be afraid of Kurdish independence. To stay within Iraq is in the interest of the Kurdish people in an economic, cultural and political sense." Coming from Talabani, the Kurdish version of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, this was a bold statement, reflecting wisdom that comes with age, and a strong understanding of what can be achieved in real life and what has to remain nothing but an inspiring dream. Twenty years ago, it would have been impossible for Talabani to make such a thundering statement. Barzani grabbed the cue from the veteran Kurdish leader, who is on the verge of political retirement, and offered the PKK on a gold platter to Gul. Had it not been for Talabani's blessing, the PKK would not currently be based in Iraqi Kurdistan. This is the first time that a Turkish president has visited Iraq in 33 years, and the first time ever that one has met with an official from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which has had de facto autonomy in northern Iraq since 1991. остальное тут

By YAAKOV KATZ Israel will take part in a joint naval exercise with Turkey this summer despite months of tense relations between Jerusalem and Ankara. Defense officials said the Israel Navy would allocate at least one missile ship to participate in a search-and-rescue exercise in the Mediterranean Sea in July. Other NATO member countries are expected to join the drill. The Israeli and Turkish navies have enjoyed years of strong ties and participate annually in joint maneuvers throughout the region. While there was never a real fear that this year's exercise would be canceled, the possibility was raised due to the strained relations between Turkey and Israel since Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan castigated Israel during Operation Cast Lead, defense officials said. OC Ground Forces Command Maj.-Gen. Avi Mizrahi also raised Ankara's ire in February when he told a conference of IDF officers at the National Defense College that Erdogan needed to look in the mirror before criticizing Israel. Mizrahi said Turkey was not in a position to condemn Israeli actions in Gaza when it stations troops in northern Cyprus and massacred Armenians during World War I. Mizrahi's comments followed Erdogan's harsh criticism of Israel at the World Economic Forum in Davos during a panel with President Shimon Peres. ссылка

It is expected that the Obama administration will please Turkey and honor its expectations with respect to Armenian claims of genocide on April 24 and that Turkey will make attempts to normalize its relations with Armenia. The establishment of diplomatic relations will be a first step to this end. This will be followed by the opening up of the border between the two countries. Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will attend the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Ministerial Council meeting in Yerevan on April 15. Turkey has informed Baku of the rapprochement with Armenia. Baku is only following the developments. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry wants to hold a meeting on the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Turkey and regional security in Ankara in June to make its views clear. However, this meeting is relatively insignificant and does not carry any weight. Baku has failed to interpret the ongoing changes in the Southern Caucasus and to develop adequate measures to protect its interests. Since its independence, Azerbaijan has never paid attention to Turkey. It has followed a policy suggesting that ignoring Turkey would not do much harm. Only clichéd slogans -- "two states, one nation" -- have been voiced. A branch of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation was opened in Moscow, but there is no such branch in Ankara. Azerbaijani diplomats have paid only a small number of visits to the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Baku has neglected Turkish intellectuals, bureaucrats, civil society organizations, the media and the public. It has chosen the easy way and tried to carry out its relations through high-level talks between party leaders, government members and military officers. Despite the fact that part of Azerbaijan's territory is still under Armenian occupation, Baku has not developed an accepted Armenian policy. Baku has also failed to extend the economic privileges it has given to Iran and Russia to Turkey. It overlooks the close relations between Iran and Armenia. However, this policy is no longer sustainable. Baku has to realize that its policy of negligence is not applicable. The development of a new style and policy in Azerbaijani-Turkish relations is now a necessity. It is now time to honor the brotherhood between the two nations by developing a realistic policy. To make sure that these bilateral relations go beyond empty gestures and are based on realistic policies, it is necessary to recall the foundations of the strategic partnership between Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Caucasian army led by Nuri Paşa liberated Baku in May 1918. In 1921, Soviet Azerbaijan donated oil and 1 million rubles for use in the Turkish War of Independence. Azerbaijani volunteers fought together with Turks against their adversaries. Despite the fact that bilateral relations between the two countries were relatively insignificant during the Cold War era because of their alignment with different poles, relations between the peoples of these two nations were always warm. The soccer game between Neftçi Peşekar and Galatasaray in 1962 exemplifies this warmth. While elderly people and women did not usually attend soccer games back then, a number of older people and women watched that game. The goal was not to see Galatasaray. Their goal was to see Turks and sense the presence of Turks. In August 2001, around 1 million people were present at the Azatlık Square in Baku to watch the ceremonial flights of Turkish military jets. This amounted to one-sixth of the whole population of the country. Turkish jets, which made the Azerbaijanis feel they were not alone, did not fly as part of a foreign military establishment. The people did not feel they were aliens. They considered the jets and the pilots as their own sons and assets. It is now time to appreciate these feelings and the sensitivity that comes with them and develop new policies for relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan. ссылка

Во время выборов в местные парламенты Турции возникли беспорядки, в ходе которых погибли пять человек и более 90 получили ранения. Об этом сообщает AFP в воскресенье, 29 марта. Как отмечает агентство, беспорядки происходили, в основном, на востоке и юго-востоке страны, где большинство населения составляют курды. В провинциях Шанлыурфа и Диярбакыр произошли перестрелки, в результате которых погибли три человека. В городе Диарбыкар (столица провинции), как сообщает AFP, один человек умер от сердечного приступа во время спора на избирательном участке. В провинции Ван один избиратель скончался от многочисленных ножевых ранений. Как показали недавние опросы общественного мнения, фаворитом местных выборов в Турции является правящая Партия справедливости и развития, возглавляемая нынешним премьером страны Тайип Эрдоганом. Социологи полагают, что партия может получить более 40 процентов голосов избирателей. Основными конкурентами правящей партии являются Республиканская народная партия и Партия национального действия, ожидается, что они займут второе и третье места. Как уточняет AFP, в воскресенье, 29 марта, около 48 миллионов турецких избирателей имели право принять участие в выборах около 93 тысяч местных депутатов. Ожидается, что предварительные итоги голосования будут известны в воскресенье вечером. Напомним, летом 2007 года во время внеочередных выборов в парламент Турции также произошли массовые беспорядки в различных провинциях, но тогда были ранены 17 человек, и обошлось без погибших ссылка

Москва начала кампанию по пересмотру брюссельской газовой декларации Оцепенение, в которое впала Москва после болезненного удара - подписания крайне невыгодной для нее газовой декларации Украина-ЕС, продлилось недолго. Лучшие силы российского руководства и "Газпрома" перегруппировались и пошли в контрнаступление сразу по нескольким фронтам. Причем уже с первых залпов стало ясно: новая "газовая война" будет долгой и кровавой, а ее исход вовсе не очевиден. Удачным для Москвы начало сражения не назовешь: российское руководство, убаюканное лучезарным дружелюбием частой своей гостьи - Юлии Тимошенко, 23 марта пропустило молниеносный и сокрушительный удар в спину. Именно так, если верить украинской прессе, в Кремле расценили тот факт, что именно она подписала злосчастную декларацию. "В Кремле считают, что Тимошенко их "кинула". Путин ей поверил, хотя ему и говорили, что верить Юле нельзя. Понятно поэтому, что ВВП так зол теперь именно на Тимошенко", - заявил источник газеты "Сегодня" в дипломатических кругах. Понять болезненную реакцию российского руководства можно: в последние месяцы Москва не жалела ни сил, ни денег на поддержку Тимошенко в ее противостоянии с Виктором Ющенко. Ради нее в Кремле отправили в запас старого своего фаворита - Виктора Януковича. "Газпром" переуступил долг RosUkrEnergo "Нафтогазу", чтобы помочь украинскому премьеру заполучить остро необходимые ей 11,5 миллиардов кубометров газа. Тому же "Нафтогазу" "простили" (правда, только на словах) штрафы за недобор газа в первом квартале. А самой Юлии Владимировне дали понять, что она может получить кредит в пять миллиардов долларов для спасения трещащего по швам бюджета страны. И тут - такое! Она, пером Ющенко, которого, кстати, в Кремле даже видеть не хотят, подписывает документ, угрожающий не абы чему, а "энергетической сверхдержавности" России. В Москве, по-видимому, до последнего момента не верили, что от Тимошенко можно ожидать такого подвоха. Конференции, на которой была подписана декларация, сначала не придали особого значения, потом долго решали ехать на нее или нет. В конце концов приехали. Как выяснилось - только для того, чтобы стать свидетелями подписания "смертного приговора" стратегическим планам "Газпрома", а затем обидеться, развернуться и демонстративно уйти. Первым реакцию России озвучил премьер-министр Владимир Путин. Он пригрозил "изменением отношения" к европейским инвесторам. "Это касается угля, атомной энергетики, электроэнергетики, куда европейские компании сделали огромные капиталовложения, измеряемые миллиардами долларов. Это касается, разумеется, добычи нефти и газа, это касается транспорта",– сказал Путин. При этом он напомнил, что Россия закупает в Европе только газотранспортного оборудования на 26 миллиардов долларов. Евросоюзу дали понять, что, вступившись за Украину, он рискует потерять для себя Россию, чего в Брюсселе и других столицах конечно, не хотели бы. Причем, судя по последующим выступлениям российских руководителей, в случае упорства ЕС могут предложить жесткий вариант: "Либо они, либо мы". В ситуации, когда дело касается будущего "Газпрома", нельзя исключать, что Кремль "пойдет на принцип" - слишком высоки ставки. Станет ли Европа в этом случае цепляться за украинскую трубу - неочевидно. О том, какие неприятности могут возникнуть у людей, перешедших дорогу нынешнему российскому руководству, много интересного могут рассказать самые разные люди - от Михаила Ходорковского внутри страны до его тезки Саакашвили - вне ее. Кремль обиды не прощает. Тем более - обиды личной. И Юлия Тимошенко уже смогла это прочувствовать. Во-первых, впервые за долгое время ей отказали в приглашении в Москву, что само по себе неприятно. Во-вторых, ей дали понять, что пятимиллиардного кредита на рефинансирование газовых долгов перед Россией никто выделять не будет. Между тем, день оплаты счетов - 8 апреля - неминуемо приближается, а за ним маячит дефолт. О том, что такую возможность исключать нельзя, уже заявил бывший спикер Верховной Рады Арсений Яценюк - человек, пользующийся славой неплохого экономиста. Ну и в-третьих, 11,5 миллиардов кубометров газа RosUkrEnergo, которые неимоверными ее трудами стали собственностью "Нафтогаза", могут вновь сменить владельца. остальное тут

Азербайджане в торжественной обстановке были открыты сразу нескольких предприятий, выпускающих продукцию оборонного назначения. Этой сфере официальный Баку придает особое значение. Не случайно президент страны и главнокомандующий вооруженными силами Азербайджана Ильхам Алиев принял участие в церемонии открытия этих объектов – заводов «Радиогурашдырма» ПО «Джихаз» («Прибор») и электронно-вычислительных машин (ЭВМ), а также Научно-исследовательского института Министерства оборонной промышленности. остальное тут

At a program last year for educators hosted by the American Jewish Committee in Berlin, teachers said they need help countering pervasive conspiracy theories about Jews among Muslim youth. Aycan Demirel, founder of the Kreuzberg Initiative Against Anti-Semitism in Berlin, says he often encounters "competition for the victim status" among Muslim youth. "They ask, ' Why can't we focus on my history?' But that does not necessarily turn into anti-Semitism," he said. Demirel, who is Turkishborn, says Muslim youths find him credible because of his immigrant background. For Staav Meier, it didn't. When classmates in her ethnically diverse Berlin school asked about her unusual first name, she told them it was Hebrew. "Suddenly I had no more friends," recalls Meier, sitting in the library of Berlin's Jewish high school, where she transferred two years ago. Muslim boys and girls "waited after school for me and called me a 's**t Jew,'" she said. "Every time something happened in the Middle East, it got worse. One girl had lost someone in her family in the Lebanon war and she punched me." Such problems are familiar to Barbara Witting, principal of the Jewish high school. Once, when students were returning from a Kristallnacht commemoration, a group of Muslim students from another school harassed them, calling them "dirty Jews." The Jews "were just like you, children with their own families and identity," Gryglewski told them. "And then came the Nazis." Some Jews managed to get out of Germany, but many did not, she explained. In the end, "this is all that was left of many of them," Gryglewski said, showing them a large photo of victims' shoes from Auschwitz. The students leaned in for a better look. "I used to curse the Jews, and I won't do it anymore," one student, Yasemin, 15, said during a break. "I used to say Jews are s**t because they hate Muslims. But now I understand better. And now I hate the Nazis." остальное тут

Об этом сообщил журналистам премьер-министр Армении Тигран Саркисян. "Из 13 предложенных вариантов был выбран один, который начинается в Мегри и идет в направлении Севана", - сказал премьер. Т.Саркисян отметил, что прошли обсуждения с руководством соответствующих подразделений Азиатского банка развития, которые готовы выделить средства для проведения новых технико-экономических исследований, передает АРКА. Железная дорога Иран-Армения позволит Армении пользоваться альтернативным путем транспортировки энергоресурсов и других товаров, получив выход на внешний мир. В настоящее время железнодорожные коммуникации Армении с зарубежными странами обеспечиваются только через территорию Грузии. По предварительным данным, инвестиции в строительство железнодорожного сообщения Иран-Армения составят 2 млрд долл. Интерес к проекту строительства железной дороги Иран-Армения проявляют Всемирный банк и Азиатский банк развития. ссылка

The Caucasus state, a supplier of oil and gas to Europe from the Caspian Sea, is set to face plunging revenues this year as oil prices languish below $50 a barrel compared to nearly $150 last summer. The rainy-day state oil fund gives the former Soviet republic a cushion against weak oil prices but officials say a budget revision is possible in May-June as the main financial document was based on a price of $70 per barrel versus $44 now. The fund is forecast to receive $10.5 billion in 2009 based on an average price per barrel of $70, compared with $14.9 billion in 2008. "The oil fund assets are going to be depleted while the fund itself is not being replenished this year," said Ana Jelenkovic, an analyst with London-based Eurasia Group. "What that means is that Azerbaijan is going to face a more difficult time, perhaps not in 2009 but in 2010, depending on how much the (economic growth) is forced to (slow), how long the oil price remains depressed." The country's Manat currency is holding its ground against the dollar but pressure on authorities is growing to follow the path of Kazakhstan and Russia and weaken the exchange rate to cope with lower oil prices. "It's possible we'll see the Manat devalue after the referendum," said a senior Western diplomat. The construction sector, a rare boom-business during the bull market for oil, is feeling the pinch. Baku high-rises built on the basis of future sales are seeing demand decline and some large projects have ground to a halt. The economy is also suffering from lower remittances from Azeris working in Russia, which is sliding into its first recession in 10 years. The number of Azeris working in Russia is estimated at between 900,000 and 2 million. Individuals sent $1.06 billion in 2008 from Russia to Azerbaijan, Russian central bank data shows. It does not give quarterly breakdowns by country, but overall transfers from Russia shrank 24 percent in the fourth quarter. The fall in money being sent home will be felt most in the provinces, the traditional destination for remittances, and the scope for budget support will be also limited. Last month, Baku slashed its annual oil output forecast by a fifth to 45 million tonnes due to problems at a BP-led (BP.L) Caspian project. This could mark the first year of flat production after a decade of growth, which saw output rising five-fold, and could force authorities to further cut economic growth targets. остальное тут

The Nabucco gas pipeline has been demoted from a list of projects to be financed by a 5 billion-euro European Union stimulus plan after a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers Monday, Euractiv reported yesterday. EU officials confirmed to Euractiv that the pipeline, considered a flagship EU venture, had disappeared from the list of energy projects to be financed under the plan. The move was apparently made at the request of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who insisted that no public money should be spent on a project in which Berlin has little interest, despite the fact that German RWE is also in the Nabucco consortium. German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently confirmed her country's opposition to funding the Nabucco project with European money, stressing that the problem is not financing but finding gas to feed the pipeline. остальное тут