Day: March 29, 2024
The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers has amended the resolution “On rates of customs duties on export-import transactions” approved by the decision of April 22, 1998. Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov signed a new resolution in this regard, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting Trend.
According to the document, the list of goods subject to import customs duty has been expanded.
Thus, the following goods and operations will also be subject to import customs duty:
– goods imported by individuals as humanitarian aid for gratuitous distribution;
– operations on exploration, development, and production of oil and gas resources; operations on any submission to the State Oil Fund or to legal entities representing Azerbaijan in production sharing agreements, fixed assets, movable property, and other assets intended to be transferred to Azerbaijan under export pipeline agreements and other similar agreements;
– equipment and materials associated with oil and gas activities for export purposes (in case the approved list of equipment and materials imported into Azerbaijan by the State Oil Company for oil and gas activities for export purposes is submitted to the customs authorities);
– imported technology, equipment, and components for the creation and production of defense articles by the Ministry of Defense Industry and its subordinate enterprises;
– imported gold for placement in the assets of the State Oil Fund.
The post Azerbaijan expands range of goods subject to import customs duty appeared first on Azerbaijan In Focus.
Serbia is closely monitoring all initiatives that can contribute to improved market coupling and greater energy security in the region, such as the agreement signed last year by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary regarding the supply of green energy to the EU through a new underwater cable under the Black Sea, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting Trend, citing a source at the Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia.
“The inclusion of cooperation in the field of green energy also opens up new opportunities for cooperation in the process of transition to green energy, involving investments in RES and the development of energy infrastructure. Serbia shares the vision of the European Union to achieve carbon neutrality. Through the development of strategic documents and the improvement of the legislative framework, we are working to create conditions for the construction of new energy capacities from RES, which will significantly contribute to our energy independence and energy security in the future,” noted the source.
The source pointed out that Serbia is also exploring various options for ensuring sufficient baseload energy, including the possibility of constructing power plants that use gas as a transitional energy source.
“In addition to investments in new production capacities and investments in increasing energy efficiency, a top priority is the construction of transmission systems towards neighboring countries through projects such as the Trans-Balkan Corridor, which is crucial for enhancing the security of supply, integrating new RES capacities, and developing the electricity market in the region.”
On December 17, 2022, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary signed a strategic partnership agreement that provides for the construction of an energy bridge from the Caucasus region to Europe.
As per the agreement, a 1,000 MW Black Sea Energy submarine electric cable spanning 1,195 kilometers is set to be constructed. The cable is intended to transmit ‘green’ electricity generated in Azerbaijan, routed through Georgia and the Black Sea to Romania, and further distributed to Hungary and the rest of Europe. This infrastructure will facilitate the supply of up to four gigawatts of green energy.
The post Serbia closely monitoring EU-Azerbaijan green energy corridor initiative appeared first on Azerbaijan In Focus.
Failure to acknowledge the Artsakh genocide and hold Azerbaijan accountable for its atrocities not sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to the recurrence of similar tragedies in the South Caucasus as well as further afield, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention said in a statement six months after the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh.
“It has now been six months since the Artsakh Genocide. For half a year, the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has grappled with the harsh reality of displacement amid global apathy and unpredictability. They live in harsh conditions in Armenia, international aid has been slow and meager, and many are migrating to Russia and other countries far away from their homeland,” the Lemkin Institute said.
“The ancestral homeland of the Artsakh Armenians became a battleground in 2020 following Azerbaijan’s military aggression against the enclave. Since then, Azerbaijan has launched repeated aggressions against the territory as well as against the Republic of Armenia. Azerbaijan also imposed a devastating 10-month blockade that stripped the region of its basic necessities from December 2022 through September 2023, rendering survival a daily struggle. A final invasion on September 19, 2023 resulted in the terrorization and flight of virtually the entire population of 120,000 Artsakh Armenians. All of these things were done in violation of international law as well as of the November 9, 2023 Tripartite Statement that ended the 44-Day-War,” it stated.
“Compounding the predicament of refugees from Artsakh is the glaring absence of international recognition of what happened to Artsakh Armenians as genocide and the lack of condemnation of Azerbaijan for its genocidal intentions. This silence perpetuates a sense of abandonment among those who have lost loved ones and homes. Under the shadow of global interests, these displaced individuals navigate a landscape fraught with survival guilt and the enduring trauma of genocide,” the statement reads.
“Negotiating the uncertainty of their current situation, Artsakh refugees bear witness to systematic cultural genocide of Artsakh, as Armenian cultural landmarks, historical and religious sites, and cemeteries are destroyed by Azerbaijani forces. Azerbaijani soldiers have released videos on social media of themselves ransacking and mocking peoples’ homes and possessions. In the hands of Azerbaijan, the traces of the 4000-year-old Armenian heritage and identity in Artsakh are steadily being obliterated, while the world continues to turn a blind eye. Given the circumstances, it is necessary for the international community to take proactive measures to ensure that the rights of Artsakh Armenians are upheld. The international community’s failure to condemn Azerbaijan’s genocidal intentions has only made this work more difficult,” the Institute stated.
“Failing to acknowledge the Artsakh genocide and refraining from holding Azerbaijan accountable for its atrocities not only neglects the responsibility to safeguard and facilitate the safe return of Artsakh Armenians, but also sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to the recurrence of similar tragedies in the South Caucasus as well as further afield. By turning a blind eye to such atrocities, we risk perpetuating historical injustices and potentially facing similar tragedies within other Armenian communities, like those in Syunik or Tavush. Thus, advocating for recognition, accountability, and protection is crucial not only for justice in the present but also in the future, and it helps ensure the protection of all vulnerable populations worldwide. Only through concerted efforts to uphold human rights and international norms can we effectively confront and prevent genocide,” it concluded.