grants honorary memberships. Presidents The main executive figure in the academy is the President of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences who is elected by members of the Academy. Vice-presidents First Vice-President Academician Isa Habibbayli First Vice-President Academician Ibrahim Guliyev Vice-President Academician Tofig Nagiyev Vice-President Academician Nargiz Pashayeva Vice-President Academician Rasim Alguliyev Vice-President Academician Irada Huseynova Academician-secretary, corresponding member of ANAS Aminaga Sadigov International relations Agreements Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) signed memorandums, memorandums of understanding, agreements, agreements of understanding on scientific cooperation, cooperation in the field of science and technology together with the relevant scientific academies in the world such as the Polish Academy of Sciences, Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TSTRC), the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Moldova Academy of Sciences, Latvian Academy of Sciences, Spanish Academy of Economics and Finance, Turkish Academy (Kazakh Academy), Serbian Academy of Science and Art, the Israeli Academy of Humanitarian and Medical Sciences, Turkish Center for Caspian Studies. Criticism The Academy was criticized by several members of the National Assembly, in July 2012 for publishing a children's tale called "The Unwanted Son-In-Law," which contained vulgar language and graphic scenes of incest. The story was published in 2007 in the sixth volume of the ambiguously titled "Tales" anthology. Kamila Aliyeva, a member of the Science and Education Committee was quoted as saying "I wonder if they were aware of the contents of the book," she asked. "If they were, it is shameful. And if they were not, it is also shameful." Statements on Armenia and Armenians According to the institute director of ANAS, Yagub Mahmudov, prior to 1918 "there was never an Armenian state in the South Caucasus". According to Mahmudov, Ilham Aliyev's statement in which he said that Irevan is our [Azerbaijan's] historic land, and we, Azerbaijanis must return to these historic lands, was based "historical facts" and "historical reality". Mahmudov also stated that the claim that Armenian's are the most ancient people in the region is based on propaganda, and claimed that Armenians are non-natives of the region, having only arrived in the area after Russian victories over Iran and the Ottoman Empire in the first half of the 19th century. The institute director also said: Affiliations The academy is a member of the Caucasus University Association. See also ANAS Central Library of Science References External links Official website Azerbaijan Research institutes in Azerbaijan Research institutes