Azerbaijan - Illegal Issues of Postage Stamps

UNIVERSAL

POSTAL UNION

Berne, 26 July 1999

International Bureau Circular

251

 
Dear Sir/Madam:

The administration of AZERBAIJAN asks me to inform you of the following:

"I hereby inform you that we have learned from a well-informed source that the company Europhila Stamp Ltd (P.O. Box 1099, 3042 Kaunas, Lithuania, tel (+370-7)-2598-04) has printed and circulated a price list offering for sale 19 sets of postage stamps supposedly issued in Naxcivan (Republic of Azerbaijan), consisting of 108 postage stamps and miniature sheets, for a total price of 88 400 manats.

"These se-tenant postage stamps and miniature sheets are described in the annex to this circular. We have obtained reproductions of a few of them, also annexed hereto.

"All these postage stamps are illegal and have been put in circulation to the detriment of the postal service of Azerbaijan and philately the world over.

"They have been issued contrary to the provisions of the Detailed Regulations of the Universal Postal Convention and the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, by virtue of which only the Ministry of Communications, and the "Azermarka" State Corporation in particular, is entitled to issue postage stamps within the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

"We should like to point out that the Autonomous Republic of Naxcivan is an integral part of the sovereign state of Azerbaijan; it is not a member of the UPU and it is not entitled to print or order postal prepayment impressions in its own right. Only the postage stamps of the Republic of Azerbaijan are valid in the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Naxcivan. According to a declaration by the official authorities in Naxcivan, they gave no permission or orders for the issue of postage stamps.

Yours faithfully,

M S RAMAN
Assistant Director-General

Annex 1
 

5 stamps se-tenant Space 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
5 stamps se-tenant Butterflies 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
5 stamps se-tenant Coral 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 11.97
5 stamps se-tenant Birds 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 11.97
5 stamps se-tenant Old cars 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 11.97
5 stamps se-tenant Modern cars 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 11.97
5 stamps se-tenant Trains 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 11.97
5 stamps se-tenant Old modes of transport 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
5 stamps se-tenant Bear, wolf, tiger 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
5 stamps se-tenant Panda 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
5 stamps se-tenant Nude figures 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
5 stamps se-tenant Prehistoric animals 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
5 stamps se-tenant Cats 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
5 stamps se-tenant Dogs 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m 24.08.97
Sheet of 6 stamps Butterflies 500 m 01.02.98
Sheet of 9 stamps Primitive man 1000 m 11.98
Sheet of 9 stamps Primitive art 1000 m 11.98
Sheet of 6 stamps The Spice Girls 5000 m 11.98
Sheet of 8 stamps Diana 1000 m 15.11.98

More information about the illegal issues can be obtained directly from the UPU, Mrs. Maria Libera.

Published: 09/15/2001. Revised: 09/16/01.
Copyright © 2001 by PWO and
by Victor Manta, Switzerland.
All rights reserved worldwide.