Azeri Union of Internet Operators to coordinate activities of Internet sector
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Mar 8, 2002

 

Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency Turan

Baku, 7 March: The Internet providers and scientific and public organizations of Azerbaijan working in the field of information technology decided today to establish the Union of Internet Operators of Azerbaijan (UIOA). The memorandum of the initiative group for establishing the UIOA says that the aim of the union will be the coordination of the activities of organizations working in the Azerbaijani Internet sector. The main directions of the UIOA will be to provide assistance to operators and other legal persons for the implementation of projects linked to the development of the Azerbaijani Internet sector, assist with the legal issues in this sphere, and prepare programmes and start projects concerning the global information and telecommunication networks.

Any local or foreign organization involved in the field of Internet can join the UIOA.

The memorandum was endorsed by 22 organizations that are Internet providers, web operators, scientific and public organizations and the owners of the global web resources.

Source: Turan news agency, Baku, in Russian 0600 gmt 8 Mar 02

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.

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Azerbaijan's cash-strapped farmers cannot pay taxes - agency
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Mar 7, 2002

 

Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency Bilik Dunyasi

Baku, 6 March: The chairman of the Association of Farmers of Azerbaijan, D. Murtuzayev, has told a Bilik Dunyasi correspondent that farmers are deprived of credits and are not paying taxes for this reason.

He said that farmers had many problems, but that the main problem was a lack of financial resources. An ordinary farmer cannot buy equipment, fertilizers etc. He said that some financial institutions were willing to allocate credits for farmers. However, their rates are so high that farmers prefer not to get involved.

The leasing system in villages has still not justified itself. For instance, agricultural equipment purchased with a grant allocated by the Japanese government is leased by farmers under conditions that preclude their use. It also happens that a farmer who is given the equipment does not manage to harvest wheat from the fields but is asked to pay for the equipment.

There is another problem - funds for fuel. This should be allocated not for one year, but for two years so that the farmer can justify expenditures.

More than 90 per cent of farmers cannot pay taxes. In this case the government is the ultimate loser. "We appealed to the government about our numerous problems on several occasions. However, we did not achieve any results," he said

Source: Bilik Dunyasi news agency, Baku, in Russian 6 Mar 02

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.

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Russia to join Black Sea freight transport regulations harmonization plan
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Mar 6, 2002

 

Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS

Kiev, 5 March: Countries of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) signed on Tuesday [5 March] a memorandum on mutual understanding on simplifying the procedure of cargo transportation in the region.

This event marked the end of the first day of work of the international Black Sea transportation conference.

The states of the region will consider the possibility to issue multiple visas for a year and to simplify this procedure for professional drivers who carry out international traffic.

Participants in the memorandum agreed to remove barriers for mutually advantageous bilateral and transit carriages and adapt their laws to international standards in this sphere.

The document was signed by Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine.

Russia, Romania and Armenia will sign the memorandum in the near future as they did not yet conduct an inter-state coordination of the memorandum.

Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English 2019 gmt 5 Mar 02

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.

 

Infrastructure Projects for Tourism to Be Focus of U.S.-Eurasia Conference
PR Newswire - USA; Mar 6, 2002

 

Tourism development in Eurasia will be the focus of a U.S. government-sponsored conference May 29-31 in Istanbul, Turkey. The event will help match U.S. companies with tourism infrastructure projects in 12 Eurasian countries.

Destination Eurasia: Building Infrastructure for Tourism will provide participants with information on large-scale projects involving roads, airports, railways, hotels, resorts, parks, monuments and other cultural heritage sites. Plans for tourism-related water treatment plants, power plants and telecommunications networks will also be featured. The combined value of projects to be presented at the conference is expected to exceed $350 million.

Organized by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the conference will highlight opportunities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, as well as Turkey. Representatives of state-owned and private-sector enterprises in the region will take part in the conference and present details on more than 20 projects currently on the drawing boards. A series of pre-scheduled one-on- one meetings will also enable U.S. company participants to meet privately with the project sponsors.

Also expected to participate are senior government officials from the U.S and the Eurasia region, U.S. commercial service officers, and representatives of local companies interested in partnering with American firms. Representatives of international lending institutions, including the U.S. Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, will also be on hand to discuss financing and loan guarantee programs available for projects.

"Travel and tourism is one of the key sectors driving economic development throughout the world," noted TDA Director Thelma J. Askey. "The countries participating in this conference have the history, culture, and natural beauty to attract tourists, but require improvements in infrastructure to sustain and grow their tourism industries."

Each U.S. participant will receive a comprehensive resource guide and CD- ROM outlining the projects presented, including critical economic information, export potential, time lines, equipment needs and key contacts. "This conference will provide an unprecedented opportunity for U.S. companies to learn about new infrastructure project opportunities in the region," said Askey.

Trade and industry organizations supporting the conference include the American Council of Engineering Companies, the American Resort Development Association, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, the Electric Power Supply Association, the American-Turkish Council, the American- Georgia Business Council, the American Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce, the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, the U.S.-Kazakhstan Business Association, the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, the U.S.-Russia Business Council and DEIK - the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps form mutually beneficial partnerships between U.S. private-sector companies and overseas sponsors. An agency of the U.S. government, TDA provides assistance in more than 60 nations around the world each year.

For registration or more information, visit the conference web site, www.trademeetings.com or contact Dan Lamey at telephone 1-866-636-4729. Email address: tda@mfmgroup.com.

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http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X64683092 U.S. Trade and Development Agency

Contact: Dan Lamey, +1-305-667-4705, for the U.S. Trade and Development Agency

Website: http://www.trademeetings.com/ http://www.tda.gov/

 

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