TEYMUR RAJABOV THE ONLY LEADER OF CHESS TOURNAMENT

The 5th tour of the traditional Chess tournament organized in Veyk an Zee city, Netherlands didn’t replace Teymur Rajabov, international grand master of Azerbaijan, from the top of the table. It means that Teymur maintain exceeding his rivals. Meanwhile, Azeri grand master faced David Navara from Czech Republic at the 5th day of the Veyk An-Zee tournament and didn’t leave any chance for him escaping from giving up before superiority of Azeri master. After this tour Teymur is at the top of the table with 4,5 points. The 2nd and 3rd places are shared by Bulgarian Veselin Topalov and Vishvanatan Anand from Hindia with 3,5 points. The meetings of the 6th game day is to be held on January 19. Countryman grandmaster will face Ruslan Ponomoryov from Ukraine.

Dirty Information, Armenian's Fight

Dirty Information, Armenian's Fight
09.02.2007


Ali Abbasov's opinion is worth considering
Information fight between Azerbaijan and Armenia has been going on
for several years and the latter attempts with all means to create
negative image of our state in international community's opinion.
At the same time Armenia is spreading false information relating to
Azerbaijan. Repeatedly Armenian mass media representatives distorted
sayings of foreign politicians. Moreover it is well known that the
said state is illegally broadcasting its TV channels on Azerbaijani
territory.
Recently Armenians resorted to new way. They started distorting
Azerbaijani sites in internet. Responding to this, Azerbaijani
hackers started destroying official sites of Armenia. As result as it
should be expected information fight between 2 states has broken out
with new force.
Minister of Information Technologies, Ali Abbasov, had to express his
opinion with respect to this problem. Despite this fact this
potential of Azerbaijan exceeds Armenian's several times. Minister
proposed to stop this fight. However, minister's saying carries
special meaning: `The matter is that information fight should have
its rules and laws. Armenians are mixing information fight with
abuses for a long time. Some times ago they have started attacking
our sites. That is why information fight is of destructive nature.
Sides involved in this process usually try to create negative image
of opponent, and positive image of themselves. Such actions can be
evaluated as negative in all aspects. Of course Azerbaijani hackers
can be understood. They just respond to similar actions of Armenians.
On the other hand every state has its own obligations before
international community. Azerbaijan and Armenia also have their
obligations before Council of Europe in the field of information,
necessary to observe. Apparently it is difficult for Armenians to
observe these obligations. Some question arises: Why do Armenians
prefer resorting to negative means within this fight? To answer this
question we may say that Armenians know Azerbaijan's potential. To
date Azerbaijan surpasses Armenia in development. Thus, if for last 3
years foreign incomes amounting to 33 billions of US dollars have
flowed to Azerbaijan, the sum for Armenia hasn't made up even 3
billions. Moreover, Azerbaijan is exporting oil providing energy
security at regional level. Construction of railway
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku will worsen Armenian's situation. Very
soon Armenia will discover that Russia is closely collaborating with
Azerbaijan, and Armenians won't succeed in using this state against
Azerbaijan. In addition, today geopolitical weight of Azerbaijan is
increasing at international level. President Ilham Aliyev's recent
visit to France demonstrates how our state can win sympathy of those
which have positive attitude towards Armenia. In such cases unfair
fight of Armenia is not unexpected. The use of civilized means in
information fight is not profitable for this state.
What will be results of these events? Perhaps after undergoing
certain stage Armenia will make sure in fruitlessness of its actions.
Developing Azerbaijan is convinced in his rightfulness. Our state
prefers to fight with the help of civilized means, and we are sure
that we will succeed. Anyway our state should be ready to information
fight as today it is very important for Azerbaijan. Country winning
information fight is capable to win in all spheres'.

Report: Attacking Iran would be a disaster

Military action against Iran would have disastrous consequences, according to a report released on Monday by a coalition of British-based think-tanks, faith groups and others who urged a new diplomatic push to avert conflict.

The United States and Israel have stepped up their rhetoric against Tehran in recent weeks, prompting speculation they could be preparing for military attacks on the Islamic state.
Washington has sent a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf, a move seen as a warning to Iran, which the United States accuses of seeking atomic arms and fuelling instability in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. Iran denies the charges. The joint report by 15 organizations, including the Foreign Policy Center, Oxfam and the Muslim Council of Britain, said an attack on Iran would, among other things, strengthen Iran’s atomic ambitions, severely undermine hopes for stability in Iraq and damage global economic growth through higher oil prices. The consequences of military action against Iran are not only unpalatable; they are unthinkable, said Stephen Twigg, director of the Foreign Policy Center. Even according to the worst estimates, Iran is still years away from having a nuclear weapon. There is still time to talk, he said.
Sir Richard Dalton, Britain’s ambassador to Tehran from 2002 to 2006, said it was vital that the U.S. becomes fully involved in creative diplomacy. “Recourse to military action -- other than in legitimate self defense -- is not only unlikely to work but would be a disaster for Iran, the region and quite possibly the world,” Dalton said.
Among the unintended consequences of an attack on Iran, the report said, would be to bolster the position of hardliners within Iran’s political system and set back the chances of reform. It could also inspire terrorist attacks in Western countries. “I think our decision makers have yet to appreciate the full consequences of a military attack against Iran,” said Ali Ansari, director of the Institute of Iranian Studies at St Andrews University. “The view held by some in Washington that all diplomatic and political options have been exhausted is palpable nonsense that needs to be challenged,” he said.
The report’s recommendations include removing or finding a compromise on preconditions to talks, such as the insistence Iran suspend uranium enrichment; seeking direct talks between Iran and the United States; and developing a grand bargain package of incentives made by major world powers to Iran last June in return for its suspension of sensitive nuclear work. Only through direct U.S.-Iranian engagement can an agreement be found and the potentially devastating consequences of military action be avoided, it concluded.

05.02.2007

London Reuters

Turkey besieged by spreading pollution

Turkey besieged by spreading pollution
An overwhelming majority of Turkey's 81 provinces are plagued by pressing environmental problems and pollution has become the most urgent issue, Environment Ministry data has revealed.


The data, compiled from inventory work on provincial environmental problems and priorities conducted by ministry experts, shows that some 73 provinces out of 81 are faced with serious environmental problems. Accordingly, air pollution stands out as the most pressing problem in some 27 provinces and water is the most pressing problem for another 25. Some 21 provinces are plagued by pollution stemming from hazardous waste.
Central Anatolian provinces are affected the most by air pollution while the Marmara region in the northwest and the Black Sea region in the north are heavily affected by water pollution and pollution caused by hazardous waste respectively.
Pollution has, until recent years, only been a problem for Turkey's bigger cities where growing populations and burgeoning industry polluted air and water sources. But the work of the Environment Ministry reveals that environmental problems have spread across Anatolia.
According to the Environment Ministry, air pollution is a problem in almost all provinces. The Ministry work says natural and man-made factors are both responsible for air pollution. Natural factors stem from meteorology and topographic elements. Haphazard urbanization, the use of low-quality fuels, traffic and environment-unfriendly industry are pointed out as the main man-made factors contributing to air pollution. Efforts to tackle air pollution are thwarted by lack of proper regulations, lack of personnel, financial shortages and lack of high-quality, environmental-friendly fuels.
Ministry experts proposed the use of environmental-friendly fuels as an effective remedy and said this could significantly help alleviate air pollution in some 79 provinces. Other proposed measures are the provision of higher quality heating insulation, better training for those in charge of maintaining heating systems, measures to ensure industrial facilities are taken out of city centers and better supervision of industrial facilities.

As for water pollution, the Ministry’s study shows that it’s the number one problem for 25 provinces, the second-biggest problem for 34 provinces and the third-biggest problem for some 16 provinces. Inadequate sewage systems, poor regulation in use of chemicals in agriculture and lack of efficient wastewater treatment in big industries are set out as the main factors behind the growing problem of water pollution.
As for hazardous waste, the study shows that it is the biggest problem for some 21 provinces, second biggest problem for 19 provinces and the third biggest problem for 27 provinces.
Top environmental problems besetting provinces

Provinces where air pollution is the most pressing problem: Afyonkarahisar, Ağrı, Ankara, Batman, Bilecik, Burdur, Çorum, Denizli, Düzce, Elazığ, Erzurum, Isparta, K. Maraş, Karabük, Kars, Kayseri, Kırıkkale, Kırşehir, Kütahya, Malatya, Mardin, Muğla, Niğde, Osmaniye, Sivas, Yozgat, Zonguldak.
Provinces where water pollution is the most pressing problem: Aksaray, Amasya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bartın, Bolu, Bursa, Çankırı, Edirne, Erzincan, Eskişehir, Gümüşhane, Hakkari, İstanbul, Kastamonu, Kırklareli, Konya, Mersin, Muş, Sakarya, Şanlıurfa, Tekirdağ, Tunceli, Uşak, Yalova.
Problems where hazardous waste materials pose the most pressing problem: Adana, Adıyaman, Antalya, Ardahan, Bayburt, Bingöl, Bitlis, Çanakkale, Giresun, Iğdır, İzmir, Kilis, Nevşehir, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Siirt, Şırnak, Tokat, Trabzon.
Provinces where haphazard urbanization is the most pressing problem: Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kocaeli, Manisa, Van.

05.02.2007

GÜRHAN SAVGI ANKARA

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