Press Review 05/02/13

The official newspapers published a large report on the visit of Ilham Aliyev to the Gobustan and Absheron districts to award a large group of artists, the allocation of 5 million manat to the Council on State Support to NGOs.

These publications continue to publish numerous articles on the 90th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev.

The organ of the ruling party New Azerbaijan continues to publish defamatory material about the playwright Rustam Ibrahimbekov and the politicians Eldar Namazov and Isa Gambar.

525th Gazet: The deputy head of the Presidential Administration Novruz Mammadov denied Iranian media reports about statements the Head of Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev in Tehran.

The official IRNA news agency quoted Mehdiyev as saying that the United States prepared "colored" revolutions in Azerbaijan and external forces want to undermine relations between Baku and Tehran.

 At this Novruz Mammadov said Mehdiyev "did not give interviews to Iranian media." According to him, the Iranian media reported on topics that were not in the negotiations.

Azadlig:

"Banks are robbing the people, giving out loans to individuals at high interest rates," said MP Vahid Akhmedov. The former MP, economist Nazim Mamedov agrees with him and believes that because of the low income then population often can not return loans, and is deprived of the mortgaged property.

Bizim Yol: MP Ayaz Orujov was dismissed from the head of the Social Development Fund for IDPs. It is argued that the reason for this was the misappropriation of funds for the refugees.

Novoye Vremya commented the discussions in the UN Council on Human Rights, as "harsh criticism of Azerbaijan by the United Nations."

Baki Khabar writes the inclusion of Dagestan in U.S. foreign policy plans. This border between Azerbaijan and the North Caucasus region is seen as a threat to Russia and the United States.

Express: if a new war breaks out in Karabakh, Russia will defend Armenia, a Russian military expert Victor Baranets said, arguing obligations of Moscow in the CSTO.

Echo: Only 5-6% of the population of Baku rents summer vacation homes. Inflated rental value is not affordable to most.

Zerkalo columnist in a long article on the Karabakh settlement notes that Washington's interest in the conflict increases, which causes irritation of Moscow.

Yeni Musavat: the former MP Guler Ahmedova told investigators that she would not give evidence until the former Rector of the International University Elshad Abdullayev came to the cross examination.

In turn, the assistant of Abdullayev, Elnur Mejidli said that Abdullayev would not testify before he was recognized as a victim.

Former First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, the head of the so-called "Union of billionaires' Abbas Abbasov, along with officials from Russia visited Derbent on the Russian border with Azerbaijan. According to official sources, the visit is business-like, but it reinforces the suspicions of the authorities of Azerbaijan against the "Union of billionaires."

Meanwhile, the head of the EL movement Eldar Namazov commits a trip to Russia.

All non-government newspapers also reported the arrest of the Azerbaijani writer Khalida Khalid in Iran. -0-