U.S. Department of State: Azerbaijan serves as transit country for victims of traffickingJune 13, 2007 - 15:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. Department of State has released the 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report on over 150 countries. The report rates Azerbaijan as a source and transit country for men, women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and labor. It says in part, "Women from Azerbaijan are trafficked to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for purpose of sexual exploitation. Men are trafficked to Russia for forced labor. Azerbaijani children are trafficked to Turkey for purposes of sexual exploitation and to Russia for purposes of forced labor," it says. "Azerbaijan serves as a transit country for victims from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova trafficked to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for sexual exploitation." "The government should develop and implement formal nation-wide victim identification procedures and ensure that the nation-wide toll-free hotline becomes functional," the report says. "Azerbaijan's anti-trafficking prevention efforts remained modest. The government periodically monitors its anti-trafficking efforts and makes the results public. In 2006, the Ministry of Culture supported school information programs run by domestic NGOs," the report says. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Politico: Belarus delivered advanced weapons to Azerbaijan in 2018-2022 Belarus delivered advanced weapons to Armenia’s enemy even though both countries were supposedly allies in a defense pact. Armenia Security Council chief to attend Ukraine peace summit Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan will take part in the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland. Armenian govt. approves ratification of EAEU-Iran free trade deal At a meeting on Friday, June 14, the Armenian government approved the ratification of an EAEU free trade agreement with Iran. Deputy U.S. Secretary of State to arrive in Yerevan Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma will travel to Yerevan, Armenia from June 17-19 to. |