Press Review for 2/12/13

Official newspapers cover the funeral ceremony the president of the Academy of Science, the official meeting of Ilham Aliyev, and publish critical articles about the writer, Akram Aylisli.

Azadlig notes that "Ismayilli lawlessness continues," noting the denial to let people arrested at these events meet with their families.

Irritable response from official Baku to the call made by the EU to release the arrested opposition activists, Ilgar Mamedov and Tofig Yagublu, is seen as a growth in tension between the parties.

The Turkish writer, Amberin Zaman, said that the situation in Azerbaijan is like a "powder keg."

Express: The Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mohsin Pakayin, said that "Turkey extends pan-Turkism in Azerbaijan, while Turks are Sunnis and Azerbaijanis are Shiites." The paper considers this as inciting sectarian strife by the ambassador.

Echo: the Internet is one of the essentials. Therefore, communication costs should be included in the list of basic needs.

Novoye Vremya: official Baku cannot solve the housing problem, but launches a satellite into space.

Bizim Yol considers the crash of the helicopter MI-17 as a "strange helicopter crash in Baku."

Trained people threaten the writer Akram Aylisli and his family on the phone.

Yeni Musavat claims that Russian forces are concentrated in Dagestan and are ready to enter Azerbaijan in the spring. The paper sees this as a dangerous plan of Russia against Azerbaijan.

Experts regard the establishment of the House of Representatives of the Advisory Majlis of Democratic Forces as the formation of an alternative to the Public Chamber. -0 -