According to Timur Khayrullin, the oil analyst of Antanta Capital investment company, the rise in cost of North Stream is not critical for the shareholders.

Ladies and gentlemen, I greet you. Welcome to our country. I am much delighted for realization of such an important international event. I believe discussions, exchange of views to be held during the conference and practical results of the event will play essential role in continuation of political reforms in our country in future, also establishment of better understanding among the politicians in the society. The conference is of importance also for integration of Azerbaijan to the European structures. I know that your schedule for today and tomorrow is very busy. Political reforms, democratic development, human rights protection, evaluation of the state of human rights in our country and world will be the subject of your discussions.

The contemporary Azerbaijani statehood takes its roots back from the Kingdom of Caucasian Albania. The area presently known as Nagorno-Karabakh (Mountainous Karabakh) was part of that Kingdom since its formation. According to Antic sources there were 26 tribal unions in Albania, ethnic composition of which was autochthonous Caucasian and Turkic. Albania with its autocephalous church possessed a rich and unique culture, where alphabet in use was composed of 52 letters. In a year 313 A.D. Christianity was confirmed as a state religion in Albania. Turbulent situation did not let it to keep its independence for a long time. In a year 705 A.D. the Kingdom was totally subordinated to the Arab Khalifat. After this, the Khalifat having an alliance with Armenians against Byzantium, with the aim of elimination of the close relations between Albania and Byzantium, subjugated Albanian Church to the Armenian Grigorian Church. Throughout the Middle Ages, Karabakh always was part of the state formations existed in the territory of present Azerbaijan led by Turkic Muslim dynasties and inhabited by Turkic speaking people. 18th century was marked with an establishment of the Karabakh Khanate, which was headed by the Turkic (Azerbaijani) dynasty of Djavanshirs. This was the Azerbaijani Khanate ruled by the hereditary dynastic tradition of Azerbaijani nobles, predominantly populated by ethnic Azerbaijanis. A rule of Russian Empire was imposed on the Khanate after the signature of the Treaty of Kurakchay (1805) between the Khan of Karabakh and the Russian Empire. After the take-over of the overall Caucasian region, the Russian Empire pursued divide et impera policy through different means with a view to establishing and strengthening its total control. Enforced change of demographic situation in the region by massive resettlement of Armenians to Karabakh from Persia and Ottoman Empire was an extensive package of measures of such kind. After the Russo-Iranian (1806-1813, 1826-1828) and Russo-Ottoman (1828-1829) wars the ethnic composition of the region was substantially changed. Only during the period of 1828-1830 more than 40.000 Armenians from Persia and 84.600 from Ottoman Empire were settled to Azerbaijan. In a year 1828, by the order of the Russian Emperor, an Armenian Oblast was formed in the territories of occupied Azerbaijani Khanates (Irevan and Nakhchivan). This was done with the aim of creating a buffer zone in the backyard of the Ottoman Empire and to divide the Turkic speaking band into separate parts. Abolition of the Albanian Church by the Russian Czar in 1836 resulted in ultimate Grigorianization (Armenization) of the Albanian population.

Representatives from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldavia, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and IRCC attended the round table.

Cənubi Qafqazda su resurslarına həsr edilmiş ABŞ Beynəlxalq İnkişaf Agentliyinin regional simpoziumu 29-31 yanvar, 2006-cı ildə Tiflisdə, Gürcüstanda keçirilmişdir. Simpoziumda proqramın məqsədləri, vəzifələri və gözlənilən nəticələr müzakirə olunmuşdur. Layihənin regional iştirakçılarının fəaliyyətlərinin təqdimatı, eləcə də 2006-cı il üçün Cənubi Qafqazda su resurslarına dair proqramın təqdimatı keçirilmişdir. Simpoziumun üçüncü günündə proqramın bütün iştirakçıları komponentlər və işçi qrupların yaradılması üzrə qruplarda işlədilər. Nəhayət, bu qruplar qəbul olunmuş qərarlara və öhdəliklərə dair öz prezentasiyalarını təqdim etdilər. Simpoziumda ABŞ-ın Gürcüstandakı səfiri Con F. Tefft, ABŞ Beynəlxalq İnkişaf Aqentlyinin nümayəndələri, Azərbaycan, Ermənistan, Gürcüstanda nümayəndələr, eləcə də müxtəlif təşkilat və fondların təmsilçiləri (Avrasiya Fondundan Robert O’Donovan və.s. ) iştirak ediblər. Azərbaycanı simpoziumda Məmməd Əsədov (Kənd Təsərrüfatı Nazirliyinin Dövlət Meliorasiya və Su resursları Aqentliyinin Elm, Proyektləşdirmə və Ekspertiza Departamentinin Direktoru), Sahib Xəlilov (Ekologiya və Təbii Sərvətlər Nazirliyinin Milli Hidrometeorologiya Departamentinin baş mühəndisi), Asif Verdiyev, Şamil Hüseynov, Mütəllim Əbdülhəsənov, Mətanət Avazova, Elmira Mehdiyeva, Lyana Məmmədova, Rüstəm Məmmədov. “Xəzər – Gələcək Naminə Tərəfdaşlıq” İctimai Birliyini birliyin prezidenti Rüstəm Məmmədov simpoziumda təmsil etmişdir.

“Caspian – Partnership for the Future” Public Union has launched new project called Caspian Human Rights School starting from February 25, 2006. This project has been implemented with financial support of OSCE Baku office. The Project covers four regions of Azerbaijan Republic: Ganja, Shamkir, Barda and Shamakhi.