Mexico City to remove Azeri ex-president Aliyev’s statueJanuary 23, 2013 - 10:35 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Mayor of Mexico City Miguel Angel Mancera said that the city government will relocate a life-size bronze statue of Azerbaijan's former president from the capital's main avenue, RIA Novosti reported. Mancera said that the new location of the statue of the late Azerbaijan's President Heydar Aliyev will be determined this week. The relocation costs will be paid from the city budget, he added. In November, an advisory commission issued a recommendation to remove the statue. The rights groups said they were offended by a monument of “dictator” erected in one of the busiest areas in the city. Azerbaijan has paid around $5 million for the renovation of part of Chapultepec Park, where the statue is currently sitting, and other public works. The protesters have objected Aliyev’s statue saying that he was an authoritarian figure, who led Azerbaijan first as Communist Party boss during Soviet times and then as president from 1993 until his death in 2003. Baku warned earlier of damage to Azerbaijan's relations with Mexico if the statue is removed, including the potential cuts to Azerbaijani investments in Mexico. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |