By empty (7/14/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Azerbaijani Supreme Court ruled on 14 July against a motion by the opposition Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (ADP) seeking to register its exiled leader, former parliament speaker Rasul Guliev, as its candidate in the 15 October presidential election. The opposition party was petitioning the court to overturn a decision by the Central Election Commission declaring Guliev ineligible. The head of the Baku office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Peter Burkhardt, expressed concern over the ruling.

By empty (7/13/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Nine Russian servicemen died when their vehicle ran over a mine in southern Chechnya and rebel Chechens lying in ambush nearby opened fire, military sources said. Five other servicemen were seriously wounded in the incident late Saturday, the sources at federal military headquarters for the Northern Caucasus at Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia, said as quoted by the Interfax news agency. The rebels opened fire with grenade-launchers and automatic weapons from the right bank of the Argun river after an explosive device had caused the vehicle to stop.

By empty (7/13/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Yakovenko said on 13 July that Ambassador Vershbow\'s statement implying that Russia has information about the whereabouts of deposed Iraqi President Hussein or his sons is \"incorrect.\" He said that bilateral relations have reached such a level that there are constant, reliable channels for the exchange of such information, including confidential channels. Therefore, Yakovenko said, it is wrong to appeal for such information through the mass media.