Azerbaijan leaves transparency group after membership suspended

Oil-rich Azerbaijan has left the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) after a prominent international coalition suspended the ex-Soviet country's membership, the executive director of the Azeri state oil fund SOFAZ said.EITI is backed by governments, corporations and financial institutions and aims to promote open and accountable management of natural resources.The coalition suspended Azerbaijan's membership in the coalition at a board meeting on Thursday because of its concern a