By empty (4/26/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Ilham Aliyev is beginning his first visit as Azerbaijan’s president to the US. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told reporters on Tuesday that the agenda of Aliyev’s visit included energy security, the fight of terrorism, settlement of conflicts in the Caucasus and the situation around Iran. The Azerbaijani leader will meet on Wednesday the leaders of Congress.

By empty (4/26/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Armenian State Taxation Service released a report on April 25 ranking the country\'s top corporate taxpayers, RFE/RL\'s Armenian Service reported. The report revealed that thee foreign-owned firms head the list of the country\'s 300 leading corporate taxpayers -- the German-owned Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine, the Greek-owned ArmenTel telecommunications company, and the ArmRosGazprom natural-gas concern, controlled by Russia\'s Gazprom gas monopoly -- with a combined total payment of 12 billion drams ($27 million) in taxes and import duties in the first quarter of 2006 alone. Two Armenian-owned companies specializing in fuel imports are in fourth and fifth place, paying slightly less than 2 billion drams each.

By empty (4/25/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Ministry of Public Works plans to construct a 155 kilometre road from Andkhoy to Almar district bordering Turkmenistan in the northern Faryab province, with an agreement signed on Monday with a South Korean company. Officials said work on levelling and pavement of the road will start shortly. Deputy Minister for Public Works Dr Wali Muhammad Rasuli said some parts of the road had already been paved by an Afghan company.