The Deputy Secretary-General was also scheduled to hold talks with President Ilham Aliyev this afternoon.

UNESCO: OFFICE IN PHNOM PENH

President Ilham Aliyev himself signed the decree stripping Aylisli of his national awards and monthly literary stipend.

BBC: Europe

For Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, the White House visit is a long awaited stamp of approval from Washington.

NPR: Azerbaijan President Visits Washington

Mr Erdogan was expected to try to square Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliev, in a visit to Baku this week.

ECONOMIST: A large NATO country ponders a bigger role in the Caucasus

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has ordered an inquiry into why his country gave Russia "nul points" at Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest.

BBC: Eurovision: Azerbaijan probes Russian 'nul points'

President ILHAM ALIYEV (President, Azerbaijan): I am a democratically elected president.

NPR: Azerbaijan President Visits Washington

Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliev, has been sabre-rattling to drum up support.

ECONOMIST: The chances of change in Armenia remain small

Ilham Aliyev is already vice-president of the ruling party, deputy head of the State Oil Company and director of Azerbaijan's Olympic Committee, as well as being Azerbaijan's representative at the Council of Europe.

BBC: Azerbaijan claims 97% support in poll

True or not, the revelation has had the desired effect: It put the Azeri government of President Ilham Aliyev on the spot and forced it to disavow any such collaboration with Israel.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Political Compromise of Our Security

Among other things, Habibie spent the morning e-mailing his 36-year-old son Ilham Akbar, who was born in Germany, a message in fluent German, urging him not to worry about the day's events and to go to bed.

CNN: INTELLIGENCE

Azerbaijan is run by Ilham Aliyev.

ECONOMIST: A small country grows drunk on oil wealth