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Culture | Public Affairs Business | Philanthropy

(Photo: Présidence de la République/C. Alix)

AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN AND FRENCH PRESIDENTS DISCUSS PEACE IN PARIS Also in this issue: TEAS Business Forum hits new heights in London CATBIG/TEAS briefing outlines the opportunities TEAS brings Azerbaijani delegation to London Stock Exchange Andrea Bocelli headlines at Buta Gala Concert in the Albert Hall Ed Kashi’s IDP photos brought to the heart of Berlin 11 / 2014

Please see inside for how to win £100 of Amazon vouchers

11 / 2014

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Welcome to the TEAS Magazine The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) is a UK-registered pan-European organisation dedicated to raising awareness of Azerbaijan and fostering closer economic, political and cultural links between that country and the nations of Europe.

As well as promoting the positive aspects of Azerbaijan, TEAS also highlights the plight of the 875,000 refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) within the country. These people are unable to return to their homes and lands because of the illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts by Armenia’s armed forces – in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions.

TEAS has three main facets to its operations: • Culture – TEAS raises awareness of Azerbaijan’s rich and vibrant culture to a worldwide audience by organising cultural events and operating as a networking centre.

• Business – TEAS supports its membership of European and Azerbaijani businesses. It provides a platform for organisations to establish links and strengthen their existing business relationships via a programme of networking opportunities across the regions.

• Public Affairs – TEAS works to increase awareness about Azerbaijan amongst key opinionformers, key decision-makers and other political, academic and civil society stakeholders.

In pursuit of its objectives TEAS: • Organises meetings with interested parties, opinion-formers and decision-makers • Arranges roundtables, seminars, lectures and conferences • Publishes pamphlets, reports, bulletins, books and produces films • Facilitates fact-finding trips by politicians and business people.

Mailing List

TEAS is always bringing the latest news, views and interviews from Azerbaijan. Sign up to our mailing-list to receive the latest information straight to your inbox: www.teas.eu

Facebook

The TEAS Facebook page is your chance to learn about the latest news, events, campaigns and other Azerbaijan-related items. Visit and ‘like’ our page at: http://bit.ly/TEASFB.

Membership and Sponsorship

TEAS offers a range of corporate and individual membership packages, providing such benefits as advertising, trade missions, networking, business sector advice and hotel discounts.

TEAS also offers numerous sponsorship opportunities throughout the year for its events and conferences. To find out more, e-mail: membership@teas.eu.

Win £100 of Amazon vouchers!

To stand a chance of winning £100 of Amazon vouchers, simply answer the following 10 questions, the answers to which will be found in this issue.

In the case of a tie, a draw will be made. Previous winners are ineligible to answer, as are TEAS employees and their families. Please send all entries to editor@teas.eu by 17:00hrs (GMT) on 8 December: 1.

2.

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5.

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10.

How many times have the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents met this year?

Can you name one of the musicians who performed at the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society AGM and Meeting?

What was the value of UK exports to Azerbaijan in 2013?

Where did the Buta Festival of Azerbaijani Arts Gala Concert take place?

Can you name one of the works performed by Andrea Bocelli at the Gala Concert?

Which author wrote Man of the Mountains?

Can you name one of Ella Leya’s CDs? How many athletes are expected to participate in the Baku 2015 European Games?

How much has the European Investment Bank lent for the development of Azerbaijani small- and medium-sized enterprises?

Where will the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers meet in December?

Latest members:

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Politics and News

03

Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS

From the TEAS Director

This month saw the fourth annual TEAS London Business Forum take place. The event boasted a host of heavyweight business speakers from the UK and Azerbaijan, including Shahmar Movsumov, Executive Director, State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ). Tobias Ellwood MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs also attended, representing David Lidington, UK Minister for Europe, who was on tour in the region and visited Baku.

The following day, financial services delegates who attended the Business Forum were invited to a meeting and presentation at the London Stock Exchange. Amongst the delegates was Farid Ismayilzade, Founder and CEO, GoldenPay, which issued Azerbaijan’s first IPO earlier this year.

Continuing the business theme, I was delighted to join H.E. Tahir Taghizadeh, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK and Charles Hendry MP, Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, at a CATBIG event hosted by British Expertise focusing on doing business in Azerbaijan. Over 60 delegates from a wide range of sectors attended. Meanwhile Azerbaijan continues its ascent up the World Bank’s Doing Business rankings, this year climbing a further eight places.

A House of Lords report on using IT to bring government closer to the public has now cited Azerbaijan’s ASAN service as an example of best practice. Knowledge of this initiative is now becoming widespread, as representatives of ASAN have been busy in recent months showcasing this innovative concept across Europe.

The TEAS Berlin office hosted the Ed Kashi photographic exhibition Unresolved Dreams: Azerbaijan’s Refugees and IDPs. The opening was attended by around 300 people, and received wide coverage in the Berlin media.

French President François Hollande chaired the meeting between the Presidents (Photo: Présidence de la République/C. Alix)

Presidential meeting in Paris, brokered by Hollande

Following meetings in Sochi and Newport, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met for the third time this year on 27 October in Paris, with dialogue being brokered by French President François Hollande. This was significant in itself, as France is an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country and also home to a large and influential Armenian diaspora. The French President initially met each President separately, and the summit concluded with tripartite dialogue.

The meeting marked a continuation of talks aimed at resolving the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The office of President Hollande stated: “the status quo is not sustainable”, and the leaders’ acceptance of this became evident when they agreed to exchange information about those who had gone missing during the war, which raged from 1988–94. This year has seen the worst upsurge in violence between the sides in the 20 years since signing the ceasefire, resulting in the deaths of over 30 servicemen.

According to the office of French President Hollande, the meeting concluded with

an agreement between the Presidents to “continue the dialogue, in particular with a new meeting in September 2015 in the margins of the UN General Assembly session in New York.” The issue of Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilham Asgarov, two Azerbaijani hostages currently undergoing an illegal ‘trial’ in Nagorno-Karabakh, was also raised.

James Warlick, US Co-Chair, OSCE Minsk Group tweeted: “I think the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan agree the Paris summit was a positive step, thanks to President Hollande.” Malena Mard, Head, EU Delegation to Azerbaijan commented: “I think this type of high-level meeting definitely plays a very important role in changing the status quo and is a step towards achieving peaceful resolution.”

Pata Zakareishvili, Georgian State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality, also expressed optimism, saying: “The Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents’ meeting in Paris encourages us to believe there will be crucial advancements towards settlement of this conflict. We’re convinced that the dynamic development of such meetings will soon give positive results.”

In a significant move, France – one of the CoChairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – hosted talks between the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents, brokered by French President Hollande. The talks were designed to lessen tensions on the ‘contact line’, where fighting has flared up in recent weeks.

Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS 11 / 2014

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Politics and News

Anglo-Azerbaijani

The Co-Chairs of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society – Lord German (far right) and Professor Nargiz Pashayava (right)

Society announces its plans in London The Anglo-Azerbaijani Society Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Reception has taken place at the Royal Garden Hotel in London, attended by more than 300 diplomats, businesspeople, members and supporters.

H.E. Tahir Taghizadeh, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK, commented: “The Anglo-Azerbaijani Society embodies the ideals of Azerbaijan. During my recent visit to Baku, I was asked why relations between Azerbaijan and the UK are so strong. I replied that, unlike some other countries, the UK has never passed a piece of anti-Azerbaijani legislation. Also, unlike some other leading nations, it has never let domestic politics impact its policies in the region. It has also never mixed its political, security and economic interests in the South Caucasus, where Azerbaijan is the leading nation.”

Lord German, newly-appointed UK CoChair, Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, said: “I am ambitious to develop the role of this society, to extend our friendships and to create a bridge between our two countries.

We are an apolitical organisation, and the main tenets of our mission statement are that we will foster Anglo-Azerbaijani relationships in all respects and assist in making a positive change by increasing awareness of Azerbaijan to the benefit of all. We seek to develop friendship that adds value and has purpose.”

Professor Nargiz Pashayeva, Azerbaijani Co-Chair, Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, replied: “Following in the footsteps of Lord Fraser, his late predecessor, I am sure the efforts of Lord German will lead the Society to further success, particularly regarding charitable, cultural and educational endeavours. Time has shown that we have won trust from the citizens of our two countries, and this trust has opened new horizons for us.” Professor Pashayeva also noted that around 5000 Azerbaijani students had received education in the UK over the last 20 years.

Gordon Birrell, Regional President: Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, BP, concluded: “I believe that the theme of friendship is very appropriate. My career has led me to spend two periods of my life in Baku, and I have been welcomed twice into Azerbaijani society with great

friendship. BP strongly supports one of your central aims – that of developing the skills and talents of the Azerbaijani people. As the single largest investor in the country, we take great pride in playing a role in Azerbaijan’s development as an independent nation.”

The event concluded with a short concert

by BP Cultural Ambassador Azerbaijani violinist Nazrin Rashidova and Bulgarian guitarist Stanislav Hvartchilkov, performing works by Edward Elgar, Astor Piazzolla and the Azerbaijani folk song Sari Gelin. Pianist Murad Adigozalzade then gave a solo performance of Fikret Amirov’s Five Miniatures, amongst other works. The concert concluded with a duet between Nazrin and Murad on Fritz Kriesler’s Caprice Viennois. For more details of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, go to www.anglo-azerbaijani.org.

Euro glory for English Futsal champions Baku United UEFA European Futsal Champions Baku Utd have entered the Elite Round – the first time for a UK-based club – with a 100 per cent record, having been drawn against such leading clubs as FC Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon and Dina

Moscow. Futsal is a five-a-side form of Association Football.

The road to the Elite Round began with a hat-trick of wins in Serbia when they faced Luparense from Italy, Ekonomac of

Serbia and Athina 90 from Greece. Their remarkable talent was soon demonstrated back home in London when they were pitted against Maccabi GB, winning by a staggering 21–0. The Baku FC website is www.bakutd.co.uk.

NEWS FROM BRUSSELS

e-mail: brussels@teas.eu In October, elections were held for the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Co-operation Committees (PCCs). The election resulted in Sajjad Karim MEP (UK, ECR) being elected as Chair, alongside Elisabeth Köstinger MEP (Austria, EPP) and Antanas Guoga MEP (Lithuania, ALDE) as Vice-Chairs.

Relations between the European Parliament and the Parliaments of the South Caucasus are conducted within the framework of the European Parliament’s Delegation to these PCCs, as specified in the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA). The PCCs exert parliamentary control over the implementation of these agreements, and act as an open forum for debate on issues of common interest. The PCC members are kept informed on the outcome of discussions between the EU and relevant Co-operation Councils and Executive Committees, and can express their views in recommendations addressed to the authorities of the partner countries, the European Commission and the Council.

The European Parliament Delegation to the three PCCs comprises 18 members and 13 substitutes. The Delegation and each PCC meet twice a year – once in one of the working places of the European Parliament and once in their respective countries.

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Politics and News

05

UK Europe Minister – ‘people-to-people’ dialogue is necessary David Lidington, UK Minister for Europe, visited Baku as part of a trip to the South Caucasus. During his time in the country, he met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Elmar Mammadyarov, Azerbaijani Foreign Affairs Minister, and members of civil society. He also delivered a speech at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (ADA), where he characterised the current state of UK–Azerbaijani relations.

Mr Lidington commented: “UK diplomats have an excellent relationship with their Azerbaijani counterparts based on trust, respect and honesty. This was particularly well-demonstrated after Azerbaijan’s election to the UN Security Council, when Azerbaijan and the UK co-operated very closely on a number of key decisions.

“The UK remains the biggest single foreign investor in Azerbaijan, accounting for around half of all foreign investments in this country.

Last year, our exports to Azerbaijan reached almost $1bn (£635.1m). In return, the UK is the top destination for Azerbaijani students studying overseas. We already have a strong and vibrant relationship that I will be proud to further develop over the coming years.

“Russia’s interference in eastern Ukraine and its illegal annexation of Crimea have brought back into sharp focus the continued unresolved conflicts in the South Caucasus, both here and in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and the continued need to resolve the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. It is a matter of deep regret that – on the twentieth anniversary of the 1994 ceasefire – we still seem to be a long way from an agreed sustainable and political settlement. In fact, there have been more deaths this year than in any other since 1994. This is a conflict that has caused 20 years of lost opportunity and 20 years of continued hostility, hatred and suffering.

David Lidington, UK Minister for Europe, answering questions at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (Photo: British Embassy in Azerbaijan)

“Every year, both Azerbaijanis and Armenians die on the contact line as a result of this ongoing conflict. Every year those forced from their homes at the time of the war continue to suffer the anguish of living in exile. Many continue to live in very difficult conditions – hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis remain in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, some of which I visited earlier today. The suffering of the displaced and dispossessed is a reminder of the continuing human cost of this conflict.

“Diplomats will appreciate that only diplomacy can bring about peace, and diplomacy can only succeed if those who disagree meet to resolve their differences.

It is something of a common concept in diplomacy that you have talk to your enemies if you are going to bring about peace. So I welcome the recent meetings of President Aliyev and President Sargsyan – in Sochi; at the NATO Summit in Newport; and in Paris. Regular high-level meetings are one vital step towards building peace.

“Of course, I personally, and the UK government, strongly support the work of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in trying

to achieve a lasting peace. The Madrid Principles, set out in 2007, provide the basis for a deal, but they involve difficult decisions and compromises for both sides. It is important that these principles are discussed more openly, both in Azerbaijan and Armenia. The provisions include the return of the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control. There can be no settlement without respect for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, and the recognition that its sovereignty over these territories must be restored. An enduring settlement will also have to recognise the right of all IDPs and refugees to return to their former places of residence.

“Over the last three years the UK has invested almost €2m (£1.6m), and the EU a further €6m (£4.8m), in funding projects that are aimed at breaking down walls and developing understanding between the communities affected by the conflict. We believe that people-to-people interactions, and the peace-builders who sustain these links, are an essential element of any peace and reconciliation process. We need to put people at the heart of the solution in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Sports surmount boundaries

(from left) Patrick Hickey, President, European Olympic Committee and Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer, Baku 2015

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Armenia has agreed to participate in the Baku 2015 European Games in Azerbaijan in June, despite the ongoing NagornoKarabakh conflict. The decision comes in the wake of European and International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials travelling to Armenia last month to discuss their participation. Patrick Hickey, President, European Olympic Committee, reflected: “It’s a very tense situation and we had an excellent meeting with our colleagues in Armenia. They agreed to participate in the Games next year and will come to our general assembly in Baku in two weeks’ time. All the problems were solved.”

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06

Culture

Andrea Bocelli headlines Buta Gala at the Royal Albert Hall The second Buta Festival of Azerbaijani Arts has opened with a landmark concert of Azerbaijani classical, jazz and mugham music at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Lasting until March 2015, the impressive range of concerts and exhibitions will take place across London, showcasing all modes of expression, including music, photography, film and art.

The concert – featuring the London Philharmonic Concert Orchestra – marked the first time that Azerbaijani classical music had been performed at London’s premier concert venue, and was attended by around 3000 people. Classical works in the programme included Azer Rzayev’s Violin Concerto, performed by Israeli violinist Schlomo Mintz, which skilfully combined plaintive mugham harmonic progressions for the orchestra with passages of extreme virtuosity for the solo violin and Bahash’s Aria from Sevil by Fikret Amirov, sung by Welsh tenor Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts.

The Turkish mezzo Burçin Savigne then gave an emotional interpretation of Farhad Badalbeyli’s lushly-orchestrated Ave Maria, symbolically combining phrases in Latin and Azerbaijani to demonstrate the common ground of Islam and Christianity and the inherent tolerance of Azerbaijan.

British mezzo Joan Rodgers CBE performed the impassioned Nigar’s Aria from Koroglu by Uzeyir Hajibeyli. Affecting photographs of the ruined city of Shusha, currently under Armenian occupation, were projected during composer Farhad Badalbeyli’s tribute to his ancestral home city, during which Joan Rodgers united with tar virtuoso Arslan Novrasli. This was particularly poignant as many tar virtuosi came from Shusha and other cities that remain under occupation.

In contrast, a mugham trio of Arslan and Nurlan Novrasli (tar and kamancha, respectively) and Munis Sharifov (khanende) passionately interpreted a mugham dedicated to the beautiful girls of Baku. Jazz pianist Isfar Sarabski then picked up the pace, uniting with Malcolm Creece (bass) and James Madden (drums), initially alongside the orchestra for his classically-inspired composition Prélude, and then in standard trio format for the funky G-Man. The concert memorably ended with three pieces featuring worldrenowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performing Puccini’s Donna non vidi mai, Donizetti’s Ah mes amis, pour mon âme and concluding with his international hit Con te patiro (Time to Say Goodbye), where the lyrics were cleverly altered to Time to Say Salam.

Nasib Piriyev, Director, Buta Arts Centre, commented: “As a huge admirer of Maestro Bocelli, I am thrilled he launched the Buta

The exhilarating performance by acclaimed jazz pianist Isfar Sarabski was a particular highlight

Festival with us. This magnificent event marked the beginning of a five-month showcase of Azerbaijani ancient and contemporary arts in London – one of the global epicentres of arts and culture.

We were honoured to have Andrea join us and could not have wished to start the festival on a better note.”

Forthcoming concerts will include a tar concert by Arslan Novrasli at the Central Hall Westminster on 27 November; a concert of works by Niyazi at The Barbican on 9 December; and a tribute to jazz-mugham pianist pioneer Vagif Mustafazadeh at the Central Hall Westminster on 16 December. The full schedule can be seen at www.butafestival.com.

Azerbaijani film Nabat submitted for Oscars The Azerbaijani feature film Nabat, directed by Elchin Musaoglu, has been submitted as the Azerbaijani entry for the Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The film has also been presented at the International Film Festival in Tokyo, Japan. Elchin previously directed more than 50 documentaries and feature films, and won the Best Foreign Film prize at the Houston International Film Festival in Texas in 2009.

The film, shot in 2014, is dedicated to all those whose lives were impacted by

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the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. It central premise relates to the residents from a village that have been forced to leave their homes due to an ongoing battle. However, one elderly woman refuses to leave her bedridden husband and the grave of her son.

Mr Musaoglu reflected: “In all conflicts, it is the mothers who suffer the most. Paradise must be found beneath the mother’s feet. I sincerely believe that if the mothers were in charge, the world would be a better place.”

To see the trailer, go to http://bit.ly/nabat.

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Culture

07

Ed Kashi’s images from Azerbaijani IDP camps opens in Berlin

The Unresolved Dreams: Azerbaijan’s Refugees and IDPs exhibition opened on 30 October at the Epicentro Art Gallery in Berlin, featuring photographs of Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), taken by renowned US photojournalist Ed Kashi.

The opening took place in the presence of the photographer and was supported by TEAS Germany, with more than 400 guests in attendance.

World-renowned photographer Ed Kashi discussed his photojournalistic approach at the Berlin opening

More than 875,000 refugees and IDPs have been residing in camps across Azerbaijan for over 20 years since they were forcibly expelled from Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts by Armenian forces, which continue to illegally occupy this territory. This led Ed Kashi, who has contributed to the National Geographic Magazine, New York Times, Time and Newsweek to turn his lens on the everyday lives of these IDPs and refugees. The images serve to capture their challenges,

but also their hopes and the resilience of the human spirit.

Ed Kashi said: “With the topic of IDPs and refugees currently growing in importance across many parts of the world, it is important that we do not forget these people who have been suffering from the Armenian occupation of their homeland for over 20 years. Azerbaijan has one of the largest IDP populations in the world.

Through my work, I am expressing a responsibility for these people, so it is a great honour to present this in Berlin today.”

In June 2013, Ed Kashi visited Azerbaijan for the project, and the resultant photo exhibition has previously been shown in London and Paris. The project is supported by the VII Photo Agency, co-founded by Ed, and by TEAS.

Man of the Mountains launched in London The novel Man of the Mountains by Zaur Hasanov, in an English translation by Caroline Walton, has been launched at the Azerbaijani Embassy in London, in collaboration with Silk Road Media. The book won the Open Central Asia Book Forum and Literature Festival Contest in 2013. It tells the story of a young Muslim Chechen boy on the eve of the Soviet collapse who becomes a central figure in the struggle by indigenous people against both the Russians invading the country and Islamic radicals trying to capitalise on the situation to push their narrow political agenda. Phantasmagorical sequences also blend the story with elements of Azerbaijani poetry by Nizami Ganjavi and other literary and historical figures.

Vusal Abdullayev, First Secretary, Azerbaijani Embassy to the UK, said: “Zaur represents a new generation of Azerbaijani authors. It is a significant achievement to be translated and published in English, as this provides the opportunity to be read internationally. There are strong economic and diplomatic relations between the UK and Azerbaijan, but it is also vital that there is literary and cultural traffic between the countries and an understanding of its historical background. Literature provides an insight into the national psychology of nations. Without knowing literary works,

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one cannot claim to understand the culture, history and origins of a country.”

Zaur Hasanov commented: “I have a background in television documentaries and believe there is value in this information about the Caucasus, as my book contains elements and details that are not covered elsewhere. In my part of the world, literature is very important. Such poets as Nizami and Fizuli made an enormous contribution to world literature, but they do not feature heavily on reading lists beyond my region.

I hope my book provides a glimpse into my part of the world.”

Caroline Walton, Translator, explained: “I accepted the commission because this seemed to be a very interesting book. It helps western readers understand the mentality of the Caucasus region, which is not so well-known in the west. It’s a very intimate portrayal of mountain family life, and is very touching, charming and sad.

It is particularly pertinent to today, as it shows how the process of radicalisation takes place.

“The book illustrates in a unique way how the combined forces of external intervention – in this case Russia and elements from the Middle-East – lead to the radicalisation of village boys. It also

Author Zaur Hasanov explains the background to his award-winning novel

sheds light on the fate of the Chechens – in 1944 the deportation by Stalin led to an estimated 200,000 deaths. The impact of this is really brought home by one of the characters that demonstrates great wisdom and rises above the politics. Man of the Mountains also brings the work of the poet Nizami Ganjavi to western attention – the English translation of his works was last printed in 1881. This book is therefore doubly important.” Man of the Mountains can be ordered at http://bit.ly/ mountainszaur.

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08

Personalities – Ella Leya

Ella Leya – salvation through music The California- and London-based, Bakuborn Ella Leya is a composer, singer and writer. Her US CD releases include Queen of Night, Russian Romance and the Secret Lives of Women. Many of her CDs have a great personal significance and Queen of Night and especially the songs Kabbalistic Prayer and He’s Just A Little Boy were tributes to the memory of her son Sergei, who passed away due to leukaemia. On the other hand, Russian Romance dug into her cultural heritage, combining classic Russian poetry and Middle-Eastern rhythms set against her own atmospheric melodies. Her latest CD, entitled the Secret Lives of Women, celebrates six of the most famous and infamous femme fatales from history – namely Princess Diana, Mata Hari, Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn, Sappho and Sarah Bernhardt.

Ella Leya has toured with her Selah Jazz Orchestra across Europe and the US, and has been featured on the National Public Radio Shows Global Hit and Weekend Edition, and the International Review of Music. Her songs have appeared in many films and television shows, such as Ocean’s Twelve, PU-239, My Sassy Girl, Dirty Sexy Money and Samantha Who. Most recently, Ella has turned her hand to fiction, and has written her first book, entitled The Orphan Sky, the protagonist of which is a 15-year-old piano prodigy named Leila Badalbeili who was a spy for the Azerbaijani Communist Party in the 1970s, but her aspirations to dedicate her life to her country disintegrate when she falls in love with Tahir, a young artist suspected of being a traitor. The book has attracted plaudits from Quincy Jones, Maxim Vengerov and others, and is currently being slated for a film adaptation.

TEAS caught up with Ella when she visited its London offices.

How aware of Azerbaijan are the US population?

I have been away from Azerbaijan for over 20 years, and in the US, awareness of the country is negligible. In California, where I live, there is a large Iranian community. A high proportion of these are ethnically Azerbaijani, but they seem to downplay their ethnicity. On the other hand, what Americans see in the media about Azerbaijan is mostly a negative picture of the nation in relation to its conflict with Armenia. My dream is to bring about a wider and more positive image of Azerbaijan through my debut novel.

Can you describe your jazz career in the US? I have performed jazz music for many years. My recording entitled Russian

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Jazz singer and pianist – and now author – Ella Leya

Romance was ranked amongst the 10 Best World Music Albums by Billboard in 2006. The Los Angeles Times music critic Don Heckman called it “Russian Blues”, and the New York Times’ Jon Pareles wrote: “Ella Leya sings with a tenderly mournful voice in exquisite arrangements that merge chamber music, Russian and Central Asian touches.” It was very strange, as I lived in Moscow for many years before I left for the US, yet I had never sung in the Russian language. To me, this was the language of oppression.

I sang jazz, and also worked in the Jewish Musical Theatre in Moscow. I performed solely in English, until I was performing in Siberia and the directive came from the state that I was not to be able to perform in English, so I had to resort to scat-singing.

Russian Romance came about when I was performing, and my musical collaborator, who is a jazz and classical professor of guitar called Fareed Haque, of Pakistani descent, said he had heard a beautiful song in Russian and asked why I did not sing in the language.

The record was made in collaboration with him and a group comprising ethnic instruments and jazz musicians playing guitar and acoustic bass, two cellists, cymbalon, bayan (Russian accordion), ocarina, the choir of the Belarusian Church, dombra (Kazakh stringed instrument), and a wide range of percussion, including the qaval drum used in Azerbaijani mugham. One reviewer wrote that it was unnecessary to understand the language, as the language of music penetrates the

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Culture soul. Music is the most elusive and most universal language. I did some work for US television, including some rock, so I undertook a recording entitled the Secret Lives of Women, which received some critical acclaim, and this is when I had an interview with NPR. We also made a promotional video in which Janina Gavankar, who is a beautiful Hollywood actress and a dear friend, plays the femme fatale. She is probably best-known for her television work in True Blood and The L-Word.

How did jazz enter your life in Baku?

The music of the pianist and composer Vagif Mustafazadeh, pioneer of jazzmugham, introduced me to jazz, and I attended many of his performances. He used to experiment with his vocal intervals on us – he loved to compose in moving intervals. He used lots of mugham elements and microtones from our national music.

His wife Eliza was a singer from Georgia.

After he died in 1979, we created a jazz club in Baku and named it in his honour.

We rehearsed in The Transportation Club and other government-run recreational facilities, and performed at the Azerbaijani Oil and Chemistry Institute. I studied at the Sumgait Musical Academy, and then studied computer science.

My mother was a paediatrician and my father was an engineer on the subway system, where he was in charge of the electrical design for the Baku subway system. In 1967, when I was a small girl, one night he took me on the first test train on the Baku subway. He also worked on the Leningrad, Tashkent and Tbilisi subway systems, amongst others. My parents instilled the importance of having a serious profession to fall back on, rather than solely concentrating on music. I often feel I compose music with a mathematical basis. My degree may have been in computer science, but my thesis was on programming Bach on the huge computers of the time.

My parents adored music, and took me to many performances. I performed with my jazz orchestra at the Gulustan Palace of Roses in Baku in 1981, built to commemorate the visit of Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev. The programme was prepared specifically with him in mind, and we awaited his arrival. However, he arrived, saw the height of the staircase to the podium and decided to return to his car without attending the concert. The next day he gave a long speech, attached an order to the flag of Azerbaijan and left Baku. My band and I did not mind as it provided an opportunity for us to perform. Thereafter we performed around the Soviet Union for over a year.

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I sang a programme of standards made famous by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday and Sarah Vaughan. However, I was really introduced to jazz by the voice of Liza Minnelli. In the early 1970s, there was a small shop across from my school. I used to visit this shop to listen and buy LP records.

The proprietor used to wear a tunic and leather trousers, and was very unusual in Baku at this time. It was rumoured that he bought the records on the black market and was actually an American spy. I heard him playing Liza Minnelli’s recording of Maybe This Time from the film Cabaret. I felt that Liza’s voice had a nostalgic quality. It was a world that seemed familiar, and I wanted to be there, but the voice and those lines were so different to the classical music that I had studied. I bought this single recording for five kopeks, and learned the recording phonetically, without understanding the lyrics. I was always emulating western jazz singers – for example, I learned Mr Paginini

by Ella Fitzgerald and I had no idea it was about, but I knew every syllable. It was the same with Sarah Vaughan and Diana Ross. However, Billie Holliday particularly spoke to me.

Such singers were not really popular in Azerbaijan at the time. It was a strange period –we prepared a jazz programme for Brezhnev, but no-one really spoke English. The justification for jazz being permitted during the Soviet period was because it emanated from the oppressed black population in the US. For example, the black American bass Paul Robeson was a staunch Communist. If we obtained information or music, we would share it with another person in our circle of trust. Jazz allowed us to seek and find each other.

However, Soviet films contained jazz; the Azerbaijani composer Tofig Guliyev had a jazz band; and German jazz stars were brought over in the 1930s and toured the entire Soviet Union.

Initially I performed on piano and was told I didn’t have a voice in music college.

However, I began singing due to Muslim Magomayev – the greatest Azerbaijani popular singer during the Soviet period. I heard he didn’t initially have a voice, but he developed it by singing and practising for many hours. In Moscow, I sang in the first jazz club in the city across the street from the US Embassy. All the European jazz people who came at the end of the 1980s performed there, and this gave me invaluable experience.

I was part of the most famous Soviet State jazz orchestra of the 1980s, and we went on tour for six months. We performed every jazz style type, ranging from traditional to avant-garde. We were then banned from singing in English, due to the Cold War.

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Ella’s multifaceted semi-autobiographical novel is set to awaken American audiences to the culture and history of her homeland

Two influential Americans visiting Moscow heard my singing, and invited me to come to the US with my son Sergei, who died from leukaemia just before his ninth birthday. I had always dreamed of coming to the US, because the greatest jazz musicians were there and I have a love of freedom and self-expression. I achieved my jazz dream and performed with some incredible jazz musicians. One week after arriving in the US, I sang alongside a terrific saxophonist called Dan Smith. We ended up auditioning nine musicians in Norfolk, Virginia.

I have been very lucky with performing, and have taught at Virginia and Northwestern Universities. In Chicago, I created the Centre for Voice to coach singers and actors. I never thought I would have a career in music – I would just be a songwriter. My song, entitled I’m in Love, is now part of the great American songbook and has been featured in two or three films.

Sergei and I spent almost two and a half years in hospitals, waiting for a bone marrow transplant. My son and I would write lyrics together – his English was much better than mine. I went to the studio alone, but then things blew out of proportion as the CD Russian Romance proved very successful. I have my own record label, never pursued any recording deal, and turned one down with Arista. I could not commit to constant performing – in order to support a record, you have to perform all the time. Working with Arista would have been too much. It is necessary to be completely committed and full of energy and health. If I had gone on the

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Culture I couldn’t stop. I had to research a lot of material along the way about music, architecture and art. I wanted it to be as accurate as possible.

How did it become a publishing project?

At the suggestion of my husband, who is a rabbi from Los Angeles, I sent the book to three agents for assessment. The third agent said it would appeal to the same audience as The Kite Runner. He is unusually hands-on because he works with his authors, and encouraged me to write in a similar way to lyrics for songs and to not limit myself. I undertook many rewrites for the editor, and the editing process has been very time-consuming. The Orphan Sky will be published in February 2015, and my agent is also submitting it to Hollywood agents to see if a film version could be viable. I would like the film to be shot in contemporary Azerbaijan, which is so different to what I, and the main character, left behind. We will show the country as being westernised and developed.

Ella’s CD Russian Romance was positioned amongst the 10 Best World Music Albums by Billboard in 2006

road, I would not have written the novel.

How did you come to write The Orphan Sky? My publisher has said that the book is the first on Azerbaijan to be written in English and published in the US. My original title for the novel was Maiden Tower, but the publisher felt this would make it appear too much like an historical novel, whereas we want to promote it as commercial fiction, to open many more doors. The idea is that readers who know nothing of Azerbaijan will want to read the book. My book is a phantasmagorical, time-travelling, genredefying love story. This is my first book, although I have previously written a couple of plays that were staged in Chicago.

In my book, some elements are autobiographical and others are based on my friends and my sister – much is based in fact. The story is about a girl called Leila Badalbeili who is a piano prodigy and just a few days away from the selection contest for the Budapest Piano Competition. She is from a ‘Communist Royalty’ family as her grandfather received Orders of Lenin and other awards. Her father is an oilman, and her mother is a famous paediatrician. They live in a gorgeous flat in a castle. However, the book begins in Los Angeles in 2002 at the Pacific Design Centre when there is an exhibition of Azerbaijani art. All attendees

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are going crazy over one particular painting.

Leila recognises herself in the painting as half-princess, half bird, standing on the top of the Maiden Tower with her arms spread into the wakening sun. She wonders how the painting came to Los Angeles, as it was painted in Kabul, Afghanistan and the artist is unknown. Leila returns home and plays Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3, and this is something she has not done for over 20 years, since she went into exile. The story interweaves fairytales, mythology, belief and Soviet-era paranoia.

I have a wonderful agent in New York, and have tried to make the book as accessible as possible for those who are coming to the country and the region for the first time. It has been through many revisions with my agent and the publisher, and I have a terrific editor. Many aspects, such as a jazz performance for Soviet troops in Kabul Stadium, during the invasion of Afghanistan, were based on my own experience. We played under a sky of helicopters – we couldn’t even hear ourselves. Some of the audience were just boys who had been drafted, aged 18 or 19 years.

I wrote the book without a publishing deal upfront, and took a break from recording and performing for three years during this period. Once I had started writing,

Will you return to performing?

I will now return to performing to promote the book, and I want to combine jazz and mugham and experiment with this. I previously experimented with new age jazz in Chicago, and there is a smoothness in Eastern Music, in my view. American jazz is in stagnation, and much is very derivative.

New developments are coming out of countries that have recently obtained their independence, such as Azerbaijan.

I believe my objective is to promote my country – many people still don’t know

Ella’s self-penned title song I’m in Love can be heard on the soundtrack to several films and television series

where Azerbaijan is located. The Orphan Sky is intended to be engrossing and engaging, and people like love stories. I am hoping it will awaken America and the world to my beautiful homeland.

For more information on Ella Leya and The Orphan Sky, go to www.ellaleya.com.

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Business News

Tobias Ellwood MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Photos: Andrew Wiard)

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Lord Risby, Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy; Vice-Chairman, All-Party Parliamentary Group for East Asian Business clarifies a point to Dirk Schuebel, Head of Division, Eastern Partnership – Bilateral (Division for Relations with Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the Southern Caucasus), EEAS

Standing room only at the TEAS London Business Forum in London More than 300 diplomats, politicians and decision-makers attended the fourth TEAS Business Forum in London on 5 November.

This year’s event was subtitled Economic Diversification is the Key. Opportunities in the burgeoning information and communications technologies (ICT) and financial services sectors were particularly in the spotlight. The energy panel of worldrenowned experts also attracted a great deal of interest, not least because the past year has seen the signing of the $45bn (£28.6bn) final investment decision (FID) between the Azerbaijani government and the BP-led Shah Deniz Consortium.

Tobias Ellwood MP, Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, thanked TEAS for organising the conference and said: “With significant volumes of both oil and gas, Azerbaijan is a key player in the energy world and is a strategic energy partner for the UK and the rest of the EU. The development of the Shah Deniz field and construction of the Southern Corridor to Europe is something that we all welcome and fully support. We appreciate that energy security benefits the entire EU. The UK is the largest FDI contributor to Azerbaijan, and there is opportunity to further demonstrate our commitment to the country

with more frequent visits by Ministers and even the Prime Minister, bringing political engagement of the highest level.”

Energy panel chair Mehmet Ögütçü, Chairman, Global Resources Partnership, asked the Minister to extend an invitation to UK Prime Minister David Cameron to visit Baku. Mr Ellwood promised to table this suggestion at the earliest available opportunity.

Shahmar Movsumov, Executive Director, State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), reflected: “Azerbaijan has achieved great political and macroeconomic stability, and these remain pillars of our development.

The catalyst for Azerbaijani development was the signing of the Contract of the Century with a BP-led consortium 20 years ago. The Azerbaijani economy has tripled during the past decade. We anticipate around seven per cent annual GDP growth during the next five years, much of which will be generated by the non-oil private sector. Diversification has been declared as a priority for the country by the Azerbaijani government.”

H.E. Tahir Taghizadeh, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK, commented: “We are currently at a new stage of our development. We are now looking forward

H.E. Tahir Taghizadeh, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK, discusses some of the potential benefits of investing in his country

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to hosting the European Games in 2015, and the following year Formula 1 cars will race through the streets of Baku. This will place Baku in the radar of ordinary citizens across Europe. It will also showcase the diverse opportunities in the country.

“The UK has never passed a piece of antiAzerbaijani legislation, recognises the importance of stability in the region, and has never been confused about the balance of its own economic and political interests.

Azerbaijan accounts for 70 per cent of the South Caucasus economy. It is the hub for the region and serves as a bridge between East and West, serving as the new border of Europe.”

Tale Heydarov, Chairman, TEAS, said: “The hydrocarbons sector currently employs one per cent of the Azerbaijani working population, and that is why we try to focus on other sectors at the TEAS Business Forum. For example, the financial services sector is quickly developing in Azerbaijan and needs UK expertise from the City of London. During 2013, over 40 industrial enterprises were opened, and the Azerbaijani government is actively seeking to cultivate private enterprise.”

Lord Risby, Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy; Vice-Chairman, All-Party Parliamentary

William Louis-Marie, Practice Director, Communications, BEGOC, explained the significance of the European Games

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Business News

Vanessa Raine, New Business Director, UEI Holding, flanked by William Louis-Marie, Practice Director, Communications, BEGOC (left) and Patrice Olhats, Advisor, International Business, Eiffage

Group for East Asian Business, explained: “Azerbaijan is a very reliable energy supplier and of great strategic importance. I look with admiration upon that which has been achieved in Baku and across the country. Azerbaijan deserves to be the focus of attention and investment. There are great opportunities in the financial services industry. During the recent downturn, Azerbaijan remained unaffected, and its economic stability has been recently reaffirmed

by Fitch Ratings. There is a programme of improvement across the regulatory structures of the financial services industry in the country and there are great opportunities for collaboration between UK and Azerbaijani banks.”

Dirk Schuebel, Head of Division, Eastern Partnership – Bilateral (Division for Relations with Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the Southern Caucasus), European External Action Service (EEAS), commented: “EU member states have substantial and growing business relationships with Azerbaijan. It is important to the EU, as a growing economic power and the focus of a great deal of trade.

Given the location of Azerbaijan in a troubled neighbourhood, it is also an important security partner. Our joint objectives are stability, security and prosperity.”

The selection of Baku to host the inaugural European Games in 2015 has resulted in an unprecedented wave of construction across the country. William Louis-Marie, Practice Director, Communications, Baku 2015 European Games Operation Committee (BEGOC), said: “This will be the biggest sporting event – in fact, the largest event ever – to be hosted in Azerbaijan. Altogether, 6000 athletes, 10,000 officials and 1000 journalists will attend the event across 17 days of competitions. Azerbaijan has taken on a great challenge – to organise the inaugural European Games in 30 months. President Aliyev has decided that sports are the ideal vehicle to promote his country. It will serve to root Azerbaijan firmly in Europe.”

As Azerbaijan tries to diversify its economy, ICT is taking centrestage as the country transforms into the regional ICT hub. Zaur Hasanov, Director, Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) project said: “TASIM passes through 20 countries, including Georgia, Turkey and Turkmenistan, connecting Europe and Asia. We have the direct support of the UN General Assembly – three resolutions have been passed in support of TASIM.” Farid Ismayilzade, Founder and CEO, GoldenPay said: “The ICT sector is a very young sector in Azerbaijan, and all the panellists for this session are under 30 years of age. It is noteworthy that

Zaur Hasanov, Director, TASIM project outlines his country’s role as a regional ICT hub

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The Business Forum provided unmatched networking opportunities

Tale Heydarov, Chairman, TEAS in conversation with Shahmar Movsumov, Executive Director, SOFAZ

the Azerbaijani ICT Ministry has been renamed as the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies. We want to export our technologies and also attract foreign investment. The Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy has recently opened an ICT department to train the new generation of software engineers.”

Vugar Farman Aliyev, Country Managing Partner, KPMG Azerbaijan, commented on the current state of the financial services market: “The banking assets versus GDP ratio has increased in recent years, but still only accounts for 31 per cent of GDP. In Switzerland, this is 700 per cent – we have much to do in developing the banking sector, but we have one of the highest GDP growth rates in the region, so there is great potential.”

Fariz Azizov, Chairman, Baku Stock Exchange, said: “Baku Stock Exchange was created to support the privatisation process. The country is now entering a new stage of capital market development.”

The energy session focused on the implications of the Southern Corridor, which will bring Azerbaijani Caspian Gas direct to Italy and provide the EU with a major source of secure energy.

Joe Murphy, Vice-President, Southern Corridor, BP, commented: “This a series of mega-projects. This represents $45bn of investment, bringing 16bn m 3 (bcm) per annum of gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey and then into Europe. The scale and size of such a project would have been inconceivable until recently. This is being developed within five years, with first gas coming to Europe in 2020.”

Magsud Mammadov, External Relations Manager, Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) acknowledged: “The Southern Corridor project is 3,500km long and will initially deliver 16bcm by 2020, and be upscaled to deliver 31bcm by 2026. TANAP is capable of delivering 100bcm per annum. Construction will begin next year, and take five years to complete.”

Christopher Pincher MP, Chair, Azerbaijan All-Party Parliamentary Group and Member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee revealed: “The world and Europe are hungry for gas.

Between 1970 and today, the demand for gas in the UK has doubled.

Our coal-fired power stations are being decommissioned over the next four years, despite the fact that 38 per cent of UK energy comes from coal. Energy security will become more important as we become more reliant on gas. Azerbaijan represents a secure source of this energy.”

Coming in the wake of the groundbreaking of the Southern Energy Corridor, the energy panel outlined the future benefits for EU

Mehmet Ögütçü, Chairman, Global Resources Partnership and Rufat Afandiyev, UK Director, SOCAR, discuss the latest developments

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Business News

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Azerbaijani Ambassador and Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy join forces TEAS has collaborated with CATBIG – a business-to-business network for UKbased companies, focusing on the countries of Central Asia and the Trans-Caucasus – to organise a briefing for more than 60 diplomats and international delegates from the UK energy, financial services, information technology, infrastructure and agricultural sectors.

Charles Hendry MP, Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, commented: “An excellent state of relations exists between the countries, and it is imperative for British businesses to see where the opportunities lie and understand how UK and Azerbaijani governments and partner organisations can collaborate to help UK businesses optimise their revenues.

“The relationship is currently overwhelmingly centred around oil and gas, and BP was significantly the first international investor in the country, following the regaining of independence.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has spoken of BP as being the partner of choice for another 20–30 years. The final investment decision (FID) between the Azerbaijani government and the BPled Shah Deniz Consortium, signed in December 2013 in the presence of the Rt. Hon. William Hague MP, former UK Foreign Secretary, can be seen as the next stage of this relationship. This marks the first step in the Southern Gas Corridor, which will bring Azerbaijani Caspian Gas to Southern Europe and ensure European energy security and energy supply diversification.

“Around 500 UK companies and 5000 UK citizens are working in Azerbaijan, most of which are related to BP and its partners.

We now need to take this relationship beyond energy, and help build the skills base amongst local people in Azerbaijan.

The Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park is currently under construction, and British investment and the skills that British

(from left) Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS; Charles Hendry MP, Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan; H.E. Tahir Taghizadeh, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK; and Peter Lindsay, Director, Elmhurst Solutions

companies can bring are a necessity. The White City Project has transformed an area of heavily contaminated land into a world-class location for top-quality hotels.

British companies can certainly contribute in terms of design, architecture and project management. There is also collaboration in the information technology sector, and more students are being sent to the UK on Presidential scholarships than any other country. There are also great prospects in the financial services sector, which remains underdeveloped.

“Baku is preparing to host the inaugural European Games and many companies and specialists who were involved in the London 2012 Olympics are working in Baku. Azerbaijan will be on the World Stage for the first time, and Formula 1 will be hosted in 2016. I am certain that Baku will rise to the occasion due to the drive and determination of the Azerbaijani government. Azerbaijani Ministers are proBritish, keen to see engagement and want British business in their country.”

H.E. Tahir Taghizadeh, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK, stated: “Our Ministers are pro-British and are also proAzerbaijani, and our economic, political and security interests almost coincide.

We want our relationship with the UK to outlast our hydrocarbon resources. Since 2003, due to political stability and sound macroeconomic policies, the country transformed and the economy grew 3.2 times by 2013. Last year, AzerSpace–1, the first Azerbaijani satellite was launched,

Moving on up the Doing Business rankings Azerbaijan has improved its position by eight positions in the annual Doing Business 2015 report, issued by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation. The country, classified as an Upper Middle Income country, now ranks at 80th place out of 189 countries. The improvement is attributable to three successful reforms in the criteria for Starting a Business, Registering Property and Paying Taxes. The full report relating to Azerbaijan may be viewed at http://bit.ly/doingbusinessaz.

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and will soon be followed by the second satellite. There are also many projects aimed at developing the tourism industry.

“Azerbaijan accounts for 70 per cent of the South Caucasus GDP, and trades with around 150 countries. Azerbaijan was ranked in 38th position in the Global Competitiveness Report 2014–15, published by the World Economic Forum.

Azerbaijan applies the same principles as the UK in terms of economic development and political ideals. Economic issues will remain at the top of my Ambassadorial agenda. I am committed to bringing easy access to the Azerbaijani economy for UK businesses, whether in the energy or nonenergy sector.”

Charles Hendry MP commented on the opportunities for British businesses in the country, both in and outside of the oil and gas sector

Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS, said: “As you will be aware, Azerbaijan is a very prosperous and stable country, but it has a long-running conflict with neighbouring Armenia and has to look after around 875,000 refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). This is a considerable financial burden, even for a wealthy country such as Azerbaijan. It is our job to remind people that the conflict is ongoing and that these people are unable to return to their rightful homes.”

The meeting was followed by a questionand-answer session which covered such topical issues as flights and visas; the status of the Caspian Sea; the TransEurasian Information Superhighway (TASIM) project; and educational development in the country.

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Business News

Azerbaijani delegation visits London Stock Exchange TEAS facilitated a landmark meeting at the London Stock Exchange on 6 November – the heart of the City of London – between representatives of the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and an Azerbaijani delegation. The meeting came a day after the fourth TEAS Business Forum, during which opportunities in the nascent financial services sector and the evolution of capital markets were highlighted as being essential steps towards the further development of the country (see pp.11–12).

Nikhil Rathi, Head of International Development and Chief of Staff, LSEG, said: “The TEAS Business Forum demonstrated that there is a great deal of interest and excitement surrounding the development of Azerbaijan. The country has very strong growth prospects, and the Asian Development Bank is predicting GDP growth of 5 per cent next year.

Azerbaijan has a number of initiatives in place to use private sector-led investments to develop its infrastructure. Aside from the hydrocarbons sector, the small-

Azerbaijani delegates, London Stock Exchange experts and TEAS employees had an invaluable opportunity to exchange views on the development of Azerbaijani capital markets (Photo: Layton Thompson)

and medium-sized enterprises (SME) market is increasing in importance, and these companies are the engines of any developing economy.

“Capital markets have significant potential in Azerbaijan, and the country plays an essential and unmatched role in the South Caucasus economy. We are delighted to welcome the Azerbaijani delegation to the London Stock Exchange.”

Taleh Kazimov, Chief Investment Officer,

Pasha Bank, reflected: “Today has been an important day in the development of closer links between Azerbaijan and London. I was delighted to be part of the delegation to visit the London Stock Exchange, one of the world’s most international capital markets.”

Presentations were then made to representatives of Pasha Bank, AFB Bank and GoldenPay – the first Azerbaijani online payment service, which recently issued the country’s first initial public offering (IPO).

European Investment Bank to lend €25m for SME development The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €25m (£15.9m) for the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Azerbaijan. This inaugural EIB loan to the country will be made in collaboration with AccessBank, the leading Azerbaijani finance provider for SMEs. The move will support development of the private sector, thereby contributing towards job creation and improving living standards.

Wilhelm Molterer, Vice-President, EIB, outlined the rationale behind the decision, saying: “SMEs are the backbone of the economy and a major focus for the EIB. It is therefore logical that our first-ever loan in Azerbaijan is for this purpose. We appreciate the professionalism of AccessBank, which is an excellent partner for the EIB in Azerbaijan.”

Michael Hoffmann, CEO, AccessBank, commented: “We greatly appreciate the support of the EIB in providing this large-scale SME loan to AccessBank. We are simultaneously proud that EIB, a highly reputable financial institution, has partnered with us for its first lending operation in Azerbaijan. The funds will make a significant contribution towards the Bank’s SME lending activities, which are directed towards supporting expansion of this dynamically developing sector.”

Statoil sells stake to Petronas According to ABC News citing Associated Press, Norwegian Statoil has sold its stake in the Shah Deniz gas project in Azerbaijan to Malaysian Petronas for approximately $2.3bn (£1.4bn). According to Statoil, the sale “optimises our portfolio and strengthens our financial

flexibility.” Lars Christian Bacher, Executive Vice-President for Development and International Production, Statoil, reiterated: “We remain committed to our business in Azerbaijan, which continues to play an important role in Statoil’s international portfolio.”

Azerbaijan – international transportation hub Azerbaijan – located at the intersection of the East–West and North–South transportation corridors – is continuing to develop as a transportation hub, according to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. He made the comments in a message to delegates attending a conference entitled The Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway: New Opportunities in the Development of the Silk Road.

President Aliyev stated that the country is currently developing transportation services, creating high-quality modern infrastructure, improving transportation management mechanisms and expanding integration into the international transportation system. In his message, President Aliyev stated that the BTK railway line would soon become operational, commented on its economic viability and stressed it is “stable, secure and fully compliant with environmental

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standards.” The message continued: “This marks the beginning of a new era in transportation development. This railway line will expand multi-modal transportation opportunities and ensure the growth of passenger and freight transportation.”

The President explained that that the new ferry terminal at the Baku Sea Port had already become operational. He predicted: “The Baku Sea Port will be commissioned in 2015, and its annual cargo transportation capacity will be gradually increased to 1m containers, equating to 25m tonnes. Creating such infrastructure is a contribution towards the development of trade and transit transportation between Asia and Europe along the Silk Road, together with optimising the efficient use of transport and the transit potential of the Caspian region.”

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Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

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Foreign Ministers to meet in Basel Elmar Mammadyarov, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, has revealed that he will meet Edward Nalbandian, his Armenian counterpart, in Basel in early December on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting. He commented: “Everything will depend on the constructive approach of Armenia. They say that we should remove the snipers from the frontline, but we are talking about establishing relationships between the communities. The most important aspect is the removal of Armenian forces from the occupied territories. If this happens, there will be no incidents. The OSCE Minsk Group CoChairs also believe this is an important step, necessary for conflict resolution.”

Edward Nalbandian, Armenian Foreign Minister (second from left) exchanged dialogue with Elmar Mammadyarov, his Azerbaijani counterpart (fourth from right) during the recent Presidential meeting in Paris (Photo: Présidence de la République/C. Alix)

‘EP Friendship Group’ for Nagorno-Karabakh receives official rebuke News that a ‘friendship group’ had been formed in the European Parliament (EP) was officially dismissed in an EP press release on 24 October. The release states that: “The ‘friendship groups’ reportedly created by the EP for relations with Azerbaijan, Armenia, and even unrecognised entities such as Nagorno-Karabakh, cannot be considered official EP bodies, irrespective of how they present themselves. Even if they are constituted by MEPs, such groups do not represent the EP as such or its opinions, and neither do they benefit from its support.”

It continues: “MEPs may, if they so wish, create intergroups –

unofficial groups intended to hold informal exchanges of views on particular subjects. The intergroups are nonetheless subject to internal rules of the House and their establishment needs to be approved by the political leadership of the House. However these groups are not Parliament bodies and their positions commit only themselves, not the EP as such.

“Given that the above ‘friendship groups’ were created outside all existing Parliament channels, they cannot be referred to as EP intergroups either. They are purely informal groups, which in no way reflect the views of the EP as a whole.”

French MPs consider Azerbaijan to be a strategic EU partner The October 2014 issue of La Revue du Trombinoscope, the leading monthly French political magazine, contains an article entitled Why is Azerbaijan a key partner for the European Union?, published in association with TEAS France. The magazine has an estimated circulation of 3,500 copies.

Signed by French MPs Jérôme Lambert (RRDP), Thierry Mariani (UMP) and JeanLouis Dumont (SRC), the article recalls the background of EU–Azerbaijani relations and underlines the relevance and importance of

this country to the EU as a strategic partner in both business and energy matters.

In addition, the three MPs remind readers that Armenian armed forces continue to illegally occupy around 20 per cent of Azerbaijan territory for over 20 years.

Despite four resolutions being passed against Armenia by the UN Security Council, together with condemnation by other international organisations, the occupation has resulted in more than 875,000 Azerbaijanis becoming refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

The authors emphasise the essential role of France as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, tasked with establishing a negotiated peace to the conflict, and stress that resolution is the prerequisite to a more stable and affluent South Caucasus.

The MPs reiterated their support for a peaceful conclusion to the conflict and welcomed French President François Hollande’s initiative to broker a meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargysan in Paris on 27 October.

Appeals to international bodies for hostages’ release Azerbaijan has appealed to several influential international organisations regarding the release of two Azerbaijani citizens taken hostage by Armenian forces in the occupied territories in July. The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers announced that the government is continuing to make efforts to free Azerbaijani citizens Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilham Asgarov.

Armenian forces killed Azerbaijani citizen Hasan Hasanov and took the two hostages in the Shaplar village of the occupied Kelbajar region on 11 July. All three men had visited the region to tend their parents’ graves.

Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime

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Minister, has now requested support from Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General; Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees; Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Viviane Reding, Vice-President, European Commission; Thorbjorn Jagland, SecretaryGeneral, Council of Europe; and Lamberto Zannier, OSCE Secretary-General.

Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister, went on to discuss the issue with Dag Sigurdson, Head of the Azerbaijani office of the UN High Commission for

Refugees (UNHCR), who expressed concern over the illegal ‘trial’ of the hostages by the occupying forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.

During the meeting, it was also noted that the Azerbaijani government is in the process of implementing large-scale works to improve conditions for the refugees and IDPs in Azerbaijan who are the ongoing victims of the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Mr Sigurdson explained that this work was highly appreciated by the UNHCR High Commissioner and other UN officials, and often cited as an example for other countries confronting similar issues.

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