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General Vladimir Arshba warned that if such a situation recurred, Abkhazia would find a way to defend its interests at sea, as well as a way to defend peace fishermen.

The Society "Memorial" does not back up the candidacy of the present President, and it is undoubted. At the same time, Memorial, as a united organization, does not support election campaigns of the other candidates either.

"Countries of the Caspian region do not have enough resources to prevent oil spills and liquidate their consequences. Therefore our goal is to draw the public's attention to this problem," said a representative of the NGO Crude Accountability, Michelle Kinman.

A judicial contest between regional budget trade unions and the Stavropol administration has ended with the victory of the former.

Rustam Djakalayev, 1989, a resident of the village of Assinovskaya, was shot down by Russian servicemen in the village of Ordzhonikidzevskaya, Ingushetia, on February 3.

The number of Azerbaijanians living in Russia increased from 340 thousand in 1989 to 620 thousand in 2002.

The risk exists that Georgia may be transferred from the second group of countries to the third one, which will damage the country's international image and may reduce financial help from abroad.

Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev died in a hospital in Qatar as a result of an attempt on his life, reported an Al Arabiya TV Channel correspondent with reference to medical sources in Doha (Qatar's capital).

The first meeting of workers of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with Meskhetian Turks will be held on February 16 in the village of Kholmskaya, Krasnodar Territory's Abinsky district. The IOM representatives will inform the Meskhetian Turks about the program of resettlement to the United States.

Representatives of British and American non-government organizations (NGOs) that worked out a joint project to promote the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and to create the atmosphere of trust in the region made a three-day visit to the Republic of Nagorny Karabakh.

On February 17, the Zamoskvoretsky Intermunicipal Court of Moscow will consider a complaint by people suffered as a result of the terrorist act on Dubrovka against actions of investigative bodies in the course of the investigation into the criminal case.

Eduard Agabekian, a deputy of the Karabakh parliament, made a statement to the National Assembly. He announced on behalf of the initiative group that Movement - 88 was a new political movement to be formed.

A meeting arranged by the district administration and leaders of the Chechen regional branch of the United Russia party was held on the central square of Gudermes on February 10.

"Article 49 "Freedom of Assembly" of the Constitution has been suspended in the republic in fact after the presidential election of 15 October 2003 and the clashes between demonstrators and the police that followed the election on 15 and 16 October," reads the statement.

Hundreds of people abroad and only a few in Russia responded to the peacemaking action arranged by the offices of Human Rights Center "Memorial" in Nazran and Grozny.

"Today there is no principle that both the sides accept in the Karabakh settlement, therefore Azerbaijan has full authority to start from the beginning," said Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev.

There is a possibility that the office of Abdul-Khakim Sultygov, special envoy for human rights in Chechnya, which was officially terminated by President Putin a month ago, continue its activity in the republic later this year.

On February 6 and 10, two more satellite press conferences Yerevan-Baku were held within the framework of the project of the Yerevan and Baku Press Clubs "Possible Resolutions of the Karabakh Conflict: Expert Evaluations and Media Coverage".

The number of prisoners taking part in the hunger strike at the Bailovskaya prison has risen to 70. A further 7 activists of the Musavat party and Azerbaijan Popular Front, not in prison, are also taking part.

Residents of the Krimsky district picketed the regional administration in Krasnodar on February 9.