Azerbaijan - Turkmenistan of the Caucasus?

Today I have come across rather interesting material and just cannot not to share....

AZERBAIJAN: REFERENDUM OR OPTICAL ILLUSION?

BAKU. January 17, 2009: The newspaper Bizim Yol made a journalist investigation and found out an interesting fact reflecting the attitude of the Azeri government to the upcoming constitutional referendum. It appears that the Ministry of Education did not wait for the referendum and had already started incorporating the proposed constitutional amendments into the textbooks published by the Ministry.

The Newspaper Bizim Yol has revealed that in an interview with an official from the mInistry of Education. Thus, the proposed amendments to the Constitution have already been included to the text books before the referendum. The head of the "Texbooks and Publication" department of the Ministry of Education Faik Shahbazli confirmed this fact in his interview to the Bizim Yol Newspaper. According to his words, the new textbook titled "Constitution" presented by the "Education" Publishing House has been submitted to the Ministry: "We have submitted it to the relevant department of the Academic Methodic Council," said the Azeri government official. If the Azeri government does not move fast in order to bring a clarity into this situation, it appears that the Azeri government is not even patient enough to wait for the results of the constitutional referendum, and is ready to declare victory before the voting takes place. Quite an understanding position, if to consider how the Azeri government runs elections in Azerbaijan. Referendum on constitutional changes is scheduled to take place on March 18, 2009.

Azerireport

HUSEYNGULU BAGIROV PRESENTS ANTARCTICA PICTURES OF ILHAM AND HEYDAR ALIYEVS

Ministry of Ecology confirmed the information that their Minister is in expedition in Antarctica. The press-release of the Ministry contains very interesting information about the details of trip. It treads that members of the expedition of the Federation of Extreme Kinds of Sport led by Bagirov conduct scientific research works, made more than 300 measurements and collected approximately two kilo of geological materials. On January 11 expeditions climbed on Vincent pick the height of which is 5,140 meters. A bronze board with the picture of Heydar Aliyev and his phrase “I am proud to be Azerbaijani”, and on the reverse side there is picture of Ilham Aliyev with his words “Ahead with Ilham.” According to the same source, the participants of the expedition went then towards Southern Pole, it is not reported what will be installed there. There are only two representatives of Azerbaijan in the expedition- the Minister, and his employee Tarlan Ramazanov.

LINK

And I like here a comment of one Azeri blogger

Besides meeting some high-ranking penguins, taking about future oil pipeline to Antactica (Baku-Tbilisi-Penguinabad), conducting more than 300 measurements and collecting 2 kilos of earth and rock for geological tests, .. :D

Meanwhile RFE/RL journalist Gorkhmaz Asgarov has published an article with the heading

AZERBAIJAN - TURKMENISTAN OF THE CAUCASUS

Musavat and the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, together with a few smaller allies, have joined forces to campaign in defense of the current constitution, but the matter has been eclipsed in the country by a seemingly irrelevant tragedy, the conflict in Gaza.

The state-dominated media in Azerbaijan have focused society's attention on the anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rallies in the Baku suburb of Nardaran and on a campaign organized by the Association of Azerbaijani Doctors to collect blood donations for the people of Palestine. The opposition has argued that the government is intentionally diverting attention from a discussion of the future of the country. And it seems to be working.

Only a handful of media outlets in Azerbaijan today are willing to stray from the government's line: the newspapers "Azadliq" and "Yeni Musavat," which are associated with opposition political parties; the independent Turan news agency; and the independent daily "Zerkalo." This is all that remains of a once influential and pluralistic camp of opposition and nonstate media.

If the present pattern continues, even these remnants and the remaining political parties may disappear by the 2010 legislative elections, and if that happens, it will be hard to distinguish Azerbaijan from neighboring Turkmenistan. This may seem like dire speculation, but such a turn of events seems increasingly probable these days.

ON BAKU...

This is the picture I took in December 2007 and this house most probably is destroyed as many more other historical buildings. Building crane has already become the symbol of modern Baku, but I found just one persons among local residents, who truly love this City of Winds.

Here are some photos (now we can say even historical) of the places, monuments and buildings which have been destroyed/reconstracted...

Modernisation and development of the city is crucially needed, but sometimes I have a feeling that "fathers" of this city have an idea to destroy although historical, but usually to their opinion useless buildings and make out of Baku a new Dubai.. According to the plan, Flame Towers should be built until 2012... The construction has already begun.

Baku has manu faces, and here is one of them, captured by one American journalist going to Ganca by "express" train....

And here is another - beautiful sunrise over the city. :)

I like to sit on the Boulevard in Baku close to the port in a time when it is half empty, contemplating the Caspian Sea. This is one of my favourite views along with the view on the Atlantic Ocean from the boulders in Ogunquit, ME, U.S., view on the Baltic Sea/Riga Bay from Kolkas Cape, Latvia and view on the Black Sea from the little bay in the Green Cape not far from Batumi, Georgia, where is a little cute café playing mild music…