BAKU, MAY 17  –  During January-April of this year, the volume of trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia made up $ 804,007.6 thousand which is $ 35,076 thousand or 4.2% less as compared with the same period of the last year, according to the calculations conducted by “APA-Economics” on the basis of the indicators issued by the State Customs Committee.

In the reporting period, the volume of export increased by $ 15,089.6 thousand or 8.5% and made up $ 193,536.1 thousand, while the volume of import decreased by $ 50,165.6 thousand or 7.6% and made up $ 610,471.5 thousand.

In the reporting period, the negative trade balance amounting to $ 416,935.4 thousand emerged, and this indicator decreased by $ 65,255.1 thousand or 13.5% as compared with relevant period of 2019.

ISLAMABAD, May 17 (DNA) – Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday said Modi’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) inspired extremist doctrine was very clear on Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) where Kashmiris had been subjected to worst human rights violations and deprived of their right to self-determination as guaranteed by the United Nations Security Council.

In series of tweets, the prime minister mentioned the relentless oppressive and inhuman tactics, Modi’s government was pursuing in IOJ&K through illegal annexation and brutal use of force.

“Modi’s RSS-inspired doctrine on IOJK very clear: First, deprive Kashmiris of their right of self determination by illegal annexation of an Occupied territory. Second, treat them as less than human by a three-pronged approach: one, trying to crush them with brute force incl (including) using inhumane weapons like pellet guns against women & children; two, imposing an inhumane lockdown depriving Kashmiris of basic necessities from food to medicines; & three, by mass arrests of Kashmiris esp (especially) youth & isolating IOJK from the world by cutting off all communication links.”

The prime minister once again reminded the world community that India was trying to paint Kashmiris’ just struggle for self determination as terrorism and by leveling false allegations against Pakistan which could be used as pretext to launch false flag operation against Pakistan to divert world’s attention from state sponsored terrorism in IOJ&K being perpetrated by Modi’s government.

“Third, by trying to show Kashmiris’ right to struggle for self determination guaranteed in UNSC Resolutions as terrorism being abetted by Pakistan – to create opp for a false flag operation against Pak while detracting world attention away from Indian state terrorism in IOJK,” he said.=DNA

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BEIJING,  MAY 17  –  Chinese Ambassador to Israel Du Wei was found dead Sunday in his apartment in a Tel Aviv suburb. Police have launched an investigation into his death.

Du, 58, was found dead in his bed and appears to have died in his sleep. He left behind a wife and a son. He was appointed as China’s envoy to Israel in February.

Initial reports say that Du was found dead in his bed by staff at his residence, and that no signs of violence were found on his body. The Magen David Adom first aid service said that the cause of death appears to be a cardiac incident.

Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Yuval Rotem said that he spoke with China’s deputy ambassador Dai Yuming to express his condolences, and told him that the ministry will help the Chinese Embassy with anything they may need along the way.

Embassies from all over the world contacted Israel’s Foreign Ministry, requesting further details regarding the circumstances that led to Du’s death.

On Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Israel responded to criticism voiced by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to Israel last week, calling his remarks that China had concealed information about the outbreak of the coronavirus from the world “absurd.”

The embassy statement noted that “scientists still haven’t identified the origin of COVID-19,” and claimed that China never concealed the outbreak of the disease in the country. It also added that the United States is currently the epicenter of the pandemic.

The embassy also referred to Pompeo’s warning to Israel regarding Chinese investments in the country. During his visit on Wednesday, Pomeo said that such investments could pose a security risk, particularly in the area of infrastructure.

In an interview to the Makor Rishon newspaper in April, Du said that after accepting the position of ambassador, he flew to Israel in mid-Februry and entered a 14-day quarantine due to the outbreak in China. At the end of March, he received his diplomatic credentials. Because of the pandemic, he did not meet with Israeli president Reuven Rivlin, as is customary.

Speaking with Makor Rishon, Du expressed hope to strengthen the ties between Israel and China, addressing the accusations leveled at his country as being the one responsible for the outbreak of the virus.

“I assumed my post in an extraordinary time when China was fighting against the COVID-19. Immediately after my arrival on February 15, I went into the 14-day home quarantine. During which, I had not taken a single step out of my residence nor had any direct contact with my Embassy colleagues. I just want to send a message to all Israeli friends that China is a responsible, rule-abiding and trustworthy country,” Du said.

“There are different voices regarding China’s fight. In the beginning, some voices were condescending and schadenfreude. Later, when the disease broke out around the world, the voices became ‘China should apologize.’ It is scapegoating. In history, it has happened many times when the causes of diseases were wrongfully blamed on a specific group of people, which is despicable and should be condemned. The disease is the enemy of all mankind, and the world must fight it together,” Du told Makor Rishon.

Du also addressed the matter of Chinese investments in Israeli infrastructure, expressing hope for further cooperation.

In February, before the coronavirus had spread to Israel, the deputy chief of the Chinese Embassy in Israel, Dai Yuming, said that “China opened its doors to the Jewish people during dark times and we didn’t close it. I hope that Israel won’t close the door to the Chinese.”

The statement came after Israel’s Foreign Ministry recommended against travel to China and urged all residents of Israel in China to leave after suspending all direct flights to the country.

ISLAMABAD, MAY 17 (DNA) –  Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral “Zafar Mahmood Abbasi” has extended condolences to his Iranian counterpart over the martyrdom of Iranian Navy forces in ship tragedy.

According to a statement of Pakistan embassy in Tehran, Admiral Abbasi has sent a message of heartfelt condolences on behalf of all ranks of Pakistan Navy to Rear Admiral “Hussein Khanzadi” Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy on the tragic incident at sea resulting in the loss of precious lives of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.

“While stating that it was indeed a great tragedy and Pakistan Navy stands shoulder to shoulder with Iranian brethren in this hour of grief, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Pakistan Navy Chief prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in peace, grant fortitude to the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss,” said the statement.

Nineteen crewmen were martyred and 15 others injured in an incident involving the Iranian Navy’s Konarak logistic vessel in the country’s southern waters.

The incident occurred on Sunday when a number of Navy vessels were conducting exercises near the waters lying close to Jask and Chabahar ports, the Navy said in a statement on Monda.=DNA

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Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan

Fascist Armenia has been trying to mislead the international community about its past which is full of ethnic cleansing, genocide and state sponsored terrorism against innocent and civilized Azerbaijanis by distorting the hard facts through different means. The release of Parts of a Circle: History of the Karabakh Conflict is another systematic attempt to disseminate its falsified interpretation of history, causes of Nagorno-Karabakh massacre, national identity, socio-political and cultural affiliation with the native land.

Conciliation Resources released a 76-minute documentary “Parts of a Circle: History of the Karabakh Conflict that tries to address the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict 26 years after the ceasefire.

Being prominent regional expert of Azerbaijan & CIS I totally reject one-sided Armenia version of the film which tries to manipulate its script and pollutes the minds and souls of general masses. It has numerous serious inaccuracies and omissions.

Human psychology is a complex phenomenon whereas criminals tend to make castles of their purity, decency, civility, and humanity through fabricated stories, false fictions, unreal folks, poisonous deeds and last but not least, venomous traits and new film “Parts of a Circle: History of the Karabakh Conflict” is another attempt to deceive the regional audience and international community about the real cause of its illegal occupation on the 20 percent territories of Azerbaijan by using brutal power.

In other words, this film is an international project of Armenia so-called justification of the unfolded stories of callousness, unkindness and prosecution towards Azerbaijanis. This film is pathbreaking collaboration between Armenian and Azerbaijani filmmakers made with the support of Conciliation Resources, a London-based NGO, showing each side’s perspective on some of the conflict’s most controversial and painful events. It features interviews with the people who were there both in leading political roles and as ordinary citizens as well as previously unseen archive footage.

Production of the film started in 2011. It consists of three parts which tell the story of the conflict outbreak in the late 1980s, the war, and the negotiation process. The published film is a shorter, summarized version of the three parts and lasts a little over an hour.

The trilogy was finalized in early 2016. However, it was further delayed due to outbreak of war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in April. After the April War, a final decision was made to disseminate the documentary carefully and gradually. In recent years a number of screenings of the documentary for invited audiences were held in Stepanakert, Yerevan and Baku.

Despite, opinions about various events are expressed by ex-President of Azerbaijan Ayaz Mutalibov, ex-President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, and ex-President of the NKR Arkadi Ghukasyan.  However, it has flaws and is badly lacking realism and sobriety. Presentation of conflict is not balanced and badly lacking hard facts and bitter realities about human survival and inordinate slavery perpetuate by Armenian against real owners of the land, Azerbaijanis.

Narration of the causes of conflict is not neutral either. It postulates Armenia’s propaganda mission wherein Armenia dramatized as victim not vicious villain, supporter of ethnic unity not scoundrel and proponent of progression/prosperity not partner of evil propositions which depicts height of virtual misappropriation of history full of horrendous crimes committed by Armenia, the ultimate aggressor and enemy of helpless humanity.

Unfortunately, the film deliberately negates the existence of notorious nationalist and expansionist greater Armenia project which was one of the most important elements of the conflict. Moreover, legal aspects of the looming conflict is consciously ignored, otherwise, it can completely dismantle fortress of falsified attributes of Armenia.

Being prominent regional expert of Azerbaijan & CIS I evaluate that some parts of the documentary facts are absolutely indistinct or could not illustrate the objective history of the conflict. Even basic principles of international law mainly, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity of states, use of peaceful means for conflict resolution, importance of diplomacy, dialogue and development are intentionally overshadowed through self-delusion of Armenians.

Balancing act/approach and equilibrium of point of view as claim by filmmakers are factually incorrect and needs rectification. From the ancient court of Romans to modern day presidency of the US, grief, sorrow, pain, injustice, holocaust, aggression, butchery   and genocide cannot be equated with gratification, supremacy, pleasure, just-fullness, hope, association, brotherhood and generosity.

It is the basic essence of even modern human civilization that aggressors and invaders must be distinguished from victims but said film intentionally tries to establish so called balancing approach and functional correlations between the Armenians and Azerbaijanis, simply a height of intellectual dishonesty and distortion of bitter realities.

Armenia has been aggressor and badly indulged in series of ethnic cleanings against innocent Azerbaijanis during 1905- 1918 and illegally occupied territories of Azerbaijan. There is a justification of every wrongdoing as upheld by a German jurist in famous Hollywood movie “Judgment at Nuremberg” is a self-defeating approach because distressing and contemptible past of anybody does not pardon him/her from ultimate wordily accountability and punishment from the law of nature.

International law is a complex and complicated discipline which pursues in accordance with the existing universal legal principles and norms where decisions/judgments are made on witnesses, solid documentary proofs and examination of bilateral or trilateral treaties to resolve any conflict and fabricated and distorted of history achieve nothing but more isolation, condemnation and marginalization.

Filmmakers seem to be biased and prejudiced in their approaches towards the exploration of very conflict Nagorno-Karabakh. They intentionally try to form equilibrium between the conflicting  parties through the help of virtual reality inject the invader’s narrative into the movie in order to justify the separation of Nagorno-Karabakh region from Azerbaijan and the occupation of the surrounding districts. Moreover, root cause of the separation of Nagorno-Karabakh i.e. nationalist idea of Great Armenia which was one the main reasons of this unforgettable human tragedy, completely ignored in the said film. Being prominent regional expert of Azerbaijan & CIS I, fear that tall claims of filmmakers about relevancy of this film towards conflict resolution will be dashed into the ground because it lacks perfection, preciseness, and true presentation.            Incorporation of some cadres on Khojaly massacre and Azerbaijani IDPs reconfirm my stance against so called balanced approach of the filmmakers.

In the documentary filmmakers tried to establish economic disparity, social discrimination and political oppression against Armenia were the driving force to wage war against real son of the land i.e. Azerbaijanis. It is not based on any official statistics thus slanted towards Armenia. Furthermore, most of the important historical events relating to Armenian nationalists are covered-up with causal narration of events/interviews.

The plight and pain of the thousands of displaced Azerbaijan were resembled with “dead man walking” but it was just purposefully omitted. Even sad incident of black January tragedy and brutal massacre of helpless Azerbaijanis was misreported in the film thus filmmakers showed their disrespect to departed souls of hundreds of ordinary people/Azerbaijanis fighting for freedom, national dignity and pride who fought bravely against military aggression of Soviet troops and ultimately liberated Baku and rest of the country.

Producers of the film did not show uncivilized activities of the aggressors in other districts outside of the Nagorno-Karabakh region i.e. Lachin, Gubatly, Zengilan, Jabrayil, Fuzuli and Aghdam. People were slaughtered like animals. People were slain like poor sheep. Blood was everywhere and enemies of humanity, civility and even nature were free to complete their bloodbaths against docile Azerbaijanis.

The film also casually surpassed the importance of the UN Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 as projected if all of them were the same and adopted on the same date. Moreover, producers tried to form the strategic justification of occupation of Azerbaijan territories from Armenian perspective, as if the occupation of Azerbaijani territories should be treated as a normal state of things.

The filmmakers tried to sabotage incident of Khojaly by interviewing Vitaly Balasanyan who was one of the main perpetrators for the mass murder of Azerbaijan civilians. It is like giving knife to monkey for persuasion of so called justice. It seems that producers do not have any knowledge about history which is full of self-confessions of Armenians terrorists, separatists, smugglers and paddlers like Serj Sarkisian, Markar Melkonian and Monte Melkonian who        deliberately assaulted on the civilian population belonging to Azerbaijanis. Ironically, no interview was conducted with the survivors of Khojaly genocide.

The producers also did not include Azerbaijanis from different parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, Shusha, Khankendi, Khodjavend, Aghdere and etc. The film also did not invite the official representatives of Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh region, those once who lived with Armenians together and those who are supposed to determine the common future of the region with their Armenian cohabitants.

The film is totally silent about the series of terrorist attacks against civilians in different parts of Azerbaijan in the very early 1990s. It thoroughly discusses the “Operation Ring” by the Soviet law-enforcement agencies in the Nagorno-Karabakh region during 1991. It badly fails to discuss the process of arming of the Armenian militias in the region and their terror against the Azerbaijani population.

The film “Parts of a Circle: History of the Karabakh Conflict” has missed another golden opportunity to portray true facts of the history of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Most important causes mainly, Armenian historical fascistic attitude, hegemonic inspirations, conspiratorial engagements and complexity pertaining to international law are badly missing or otherwise underreported in the film. Paradoxically, producers tried to equate villain with valiant and aggressors with victims and illegal occupation was justified too.

Being prominent regional expert of Azerbaijan & CIS, I term the film “Parts of a Circle: History of the Karabakh Conflict as biased and prejudiced. I request to producers of this movie to please rise above their self-fabricated notions of neutrality, equality, balancing approach because history is not a “comedy of errors” but full of bloods, sacrifices, martyrdoms, collateral damages and spirits of bravery, chivalry and unfolded stories of true patriotism, nationalism and of course heroism. Azerbaijan stands for peace whereas; Armenia has already been stigmatized as dragons. Azerbaijan speaks about humanity and harmony whereas Armenia

Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan

The mass atrocities in Kashmir are a daily routine. An indefinite curfew keeps people incarcerated with the help of hundreds of thousands military and security forces. The five basic crimes against humanity are committed with impunity. These are:

Rape,genocide.ethnic, cleansing and crime against humanity. At the line of control our innocent civilians including women and children are killed and soldiers martyred while in defence. In the vocabulary of international law  it is an international conflict involving a disputed territory.  The constitutional change by an executive order while the assembly of the state was not  in session is all farce and a bluff.

what is the peaceful remedy.

The state of Pakistan seems reluctant in taking the human rights issue to the ICJ unlike what The Gambia has done successfully.

The other remedy which comes to mind is R2P or responsibility to protect.

Jimmy carter of the USA while addressing the General assembly in 1977 stated:”no member of the UN can claim that mal- treatment of its people is solely its responsibility.” In the absence of a world sovereign a need was felt to address issues of human rights violations by states. The concept of absolute sovereignty of states pinned in the west Phalia declaration called for a revisit. Otherwise crimes like genocide,ethnic cleaning etc  committed in Rawanda, and the Balkans would have gone unnoticed. The Rome  statute was one answer . But acceptance by states for invoking jurisdiction is an impediment for Pakistan who did not ratify the  Rome treaty.

Anyway we are left with R2p. In its 65th session of the general assembly the largest gathering of heads of states and Government,which included Mr Man Mohan Singh of india and Mr Samroo of Pakistan,-made the millennium declaration and established the international norm to halt the massive atrocities as a collective responsibility of nations .It called for timely and decisive collective security council action when-national authorities manifestly fail to protect its populations from aforesaid crimes

The UN resolution 1674 affirmed the declarations of the 2005 world summit outcome document and asked the Security Council to act and protect civilian population in armed conflict. A global centre for R2P was created and a strengthened Human Rights council.  This council has its head quarters in Geneva.  It has already given its reports on Gaza, Lebanon conflict Rohingya Muslims  . It even hosted Hamas So the mechanism was established. And we have to use it .I have seen in Geneva how active groups agitate and  they are heard. We should involve the special rapporteur office in this context as well

Unlike in the case of the ICJ where states can only invoke jurisdiction I do not think such a locus standi condition is manifestly stated. It therefore has a more flexible approach to a complex problem.  Like in the case o Universal progressive review  and alternate reports by non govt bodies. I therefore think groups of citizens can also agitate the HR issues .Even if we do not succeed against the influential India  in first attempt we can steadfastly make more. The purpose is to draw attention and expose India recurringly.  Presently the state efforts seem dormant . Intensive lobbying is needed.

Another contemporaneous way is to use the NIHR ( National institutions of human rights ) in around 170 countries for conveying Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir. Our own NCHR is made dysfunctional and the Kashmir committee is without experienced leadership to effectively carry the awareness forward and win support. The support from most of the Muslim countries too is scant. This bespeaks of the state of our foreign affairs. We are also not making the government of Azad Kashmir active propagandist. Their kith and kin are suffering. Kashmiri have not been successful in getting recognition for the UN like the Palestinians,. It now falls to common citizens to take the lead and start agitation before the council and the High commissioner human rights in Geneva.

Justice (r) Ali Nawaz Chowhan is

Ex Chairman,

National Commission  for Human Rights, 

Government of Pakistan. Formerly: Chief Justice Of The Gambia

International Judge Of The UN at The Hague.

Co-Chairman, UNESCO Appeal Board-Paris, France.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan , MAY 17 – Representatives of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the USA conducted an online consultation with the vice president of the American non-governmental organization “Mercy Corps” Dina Esposito and employees of regional structures of this NGO.

During the meeting, prospects for the implementation of the five-year program of the US Department of Agriculture “Food for Peace” in the amount of US$21.5 million were discussed in Uzbekistan, Dunyo reported.

In 2019, the US Department of Agriculture included Uzbekistan in the list of priorities for the implementation of the McGovern and Dole program “Food for Education”. This program provides access to US agricultural products and healthy baby food programs. The program is named after former senators J. McGovern and B. Dole, who spoke in the US Congress for the adoption of the Farm Safety and Rural Investment Act of 2002, which provided for international assistance in this direction.

Mercy Corps was selected by the US Department of Agriculture as the main implementer of this project in Uzbekistan. A branch of the organization in our country was registered by the Ministry of Justice in March of this year.

According to the Embassy, over the next 5 years, Mercy Corps will contribute to providing balanced nutrition, improving infrastructure and human resources in preschool educational institutions of Karakalpakstan and Surkhandarya region.

According to the organization’s plans, a system of baby food enriched with vitamins and minerals will be provided in more than 400 preschool institutions of the country, an infrastructure with the necessary kitchen equipment and trained personnel will be created.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Preschool Education and khokimiyats, repair and construction work will be carried out, water supply and sanitation conditions will be improved, resource-saving technologies and biological water treatment systems will be introduced.

It is also planned to create in preschool institutions “reading corners” equipped with children’s furniture, with educational books in Uzbek and foreign languages. In rural areas, specialized libraries will be created for children aged 3 to 6 years.

Education and training of administrators, teachers and medical personnel of preschool institutions will become a separate area of activity of Mercy Corps.

According to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington, the organization intends to begin recruiting personnel and conducting a preliminary assessment of the needs of the preschool education system of Uzbekistan as the situation with the coronavirus pandemic improves.

Deputy Prime Minister Sardor Umurzakov, in a videoconference, discussed with the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Jin Liqun the state of implementation of joint projects, as well as prospects for cooperation to mitigate the effects and negative impact of the global crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic on the economy of Uzbekistan.

“During the talks, Jin Liqun announced the Bank’s firm intentions to accelerate the implementation of projects to support the healthcare system of Uzbekistan, increase the potential of the private sector and develop basic infrastructure in the regions,” the press service of the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade said.

In particular, AIIB, together with the Asian Development Bank, developed a project concept to support the healthcare system and the sanitary-epidemiological service in Uzbekistan for a total of $200 million.

Also, in order to support the sustainability of business entities and preserve jobs in the context of the restrictions caused by the pandemic, the bank’s management plans to channel additional resources through the allocation of new credit lines to commercial banks of the republic.

The government of Uzbekistan appreciated the bank’s leadership for the approval by the AIIB investment committee last week of a special loan in the amount of $156 million within the framework of the first stage of a large-scale project to modernize the infrastructure in the Bukhara region (the total amount of the project is $1.3 billion).

It was also announced that the bank would quickly complete the procedure for preparing and approving the provision of long-term soft loans for previously agreed projects for the reconstruction of roads, drainage systems, water and heat supply to settlements in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Khorezm region, for a total of up to $500 million.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan ,  MAY 17   –– On 13 May, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov held talks via video conferencing with the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov.

During the meeting, the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation in the trade, economic, investment, transport and logistics, and cultural and humanitarian fields were discussed.

In particular, it was noted that the it is necessary to hold in Tashkent in the second half of 2020 a regular meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural and Humanitarian Cooperation, which has established itself as an effective platform for jointly resolving issues of bilateral cooperation, as well as the first meeting of the Uzbek -Turkmenian Business Council.

The issues of creating border trade zones on the Uzbek-Turkmen border were considered, which could significantly increase the volume of trade, including through the supply of agricultural and household appliances, food products, construction materials, petrochemical products that are in demand on the markets of the two countries.