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In This Issue:
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Fact of the Week:
Azerbaijan is not just a crossroads of people and commerce - almost 400 species of birds can be found in the country, which is located on a major migratory flight path. Everything from eagles to pink flamingos to waterfowl to songbirds can be seen,
making Azerbaijan a bird watcher’s paradise.
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President Says Azerbaijan to Spend More on Social Needs
 President Ilham Aliyev pledged more money from the state budget for social needs in Azerbaijan, one of the world's fastest-growing economies.
"Azerbaijan plans to increase spending for social protection and infrastructure projects," President Aliyev told a government meeting broadcast on state television on April 14.
He said the government would increase pensions and other social spending, paying more attention to the development of non-energy sectors of the economy.
Azerbaijan's parliament is due shortly to approve amendments to the 2008 state budget, boosting its spending. The country's budget for this year tops $10 billion.
Azerbaijan is enjoying a huge oil boom, with production rising over 50 percent after the opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan export pipeline route to the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean.
Deputy Foreign Minister: GUAM Countries
Should Unite to Solve Conflicts
 Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has called on GUAM countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) to work in concert to help solve conflicts in their regions.
“These conflicts should be solved based on the principles of international law recognized by the world community,” Deputy Minister Azimov said at a two-day GUAM conference in Baku. “This is the approach of GUAM countries to the settlement of the conflicts, and this position was agreed upon at the summit of GUAM heads of state two years ago,” he said.
Formed in 2001, GUAM’s objectives include promoting democratic values, ensuring stable development, enhancing international and regional security and stepping up European integration.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister Azimov also dismissed the notion of “frozen conflicts.”
“By ‘frozen conflict’, we mean the frozen situation, not the frozen solution,” he said, adding that Azerbaijan is always ready to ensure peace and stability in its territory.
“Armenia’s position consists of delaying the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Ways to solve this problem should be found,” he said, reiterating Azerbaijan’s willingness to continue negotiations on the settlement of the conflict.
Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister Meets Commander of US Oklahoma Guard National Guard
 Defense Minister Safar Abiyev met April 14 with Major General Harry M. Wyatt III, commander of the Oklahoma National Guard.
Both Minister Abiyev and Gen. Wyatt noted that US-Azerbaijan cooperation has increased in recent years. The two countries also cooperate within NATO programs, as well.
Minister Abiyev briefed Gen. Wyatt on the political and military situation in the region, including Armenia’s aggressive policy toward Azerbaijan. He said peace talks have produced no results and stressed the importance of increasing international pressure on Armenia’s illegal occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory.
Wyatt hailed Azerbaijan’s important role in the region as well as its contribution to peacekeeping operations around the world, including in Afghanistan and Iraq.
US Ambassador in Azerbaijan Anne Derse also attended the meeting.
EU Considers Azerbaijan
a Close Partner
 The European Union’s Special Envoy to Azerbaijan, Alan Waddams, said this week that Europe attaches great importance to its ties with Azerbaijan.
“The European Union (EU) considers Azerbaijan as one of its closest partners. Europe attaches more importance to Azerbaijan for its distinctive geographic position,” Waddams said.
He stressed that Europe is interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan not only in energy production and delivery, but in other spheres as well. The expansion of EU-Azerbaijan cooperation in the spheres of agriculture, customs, statistics, and municipal government are planned for future, he said. In addition, a justice reform project to be carried out next year aims to bring Azerbaijan’s legislation in line with the legislation of Europe.
Waddams also said that Azerbaijan has made excellent advances in the implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy. Azerbaijan-EU cooperation is a door for the country`s integration into Europe, he said.
Concerning Nagorno-Karabakh, Waddams said that the adoption of a recent UN resolution on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is a victory for Azerbaijan.
“The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs voted against the resolution. But EU members maintained neutrality. The Organization is more actively making efforts to achieve the resolution of the conflict peacefully,” he said.
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