- Title: AZERBAIJAN: CAMPAIGNING ENDS IN AZERI PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
- Date: 10th October 2003
- Summary: (EU) BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (OCTOBER 10, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. PAN VIEW OF BAKU SKYLINE 0.10 2. VIEW OF BAKU OLD CITY SKYLINE 0.16 3. GV: OIL DERRICKS WITH BAKU IN THE BACKGROUND 0.20 4. POSTERS WITH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ILHAM ALIYEV ON BAKU STREETS (2 SHOTS) 0.34 5. WOMEN TALKING UNDER POSTER PICTURING ILHAM ALIYEV AND HIS FARTHE
- Embargoed: 25th October 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAKU AND GABALA, AZERBAIJAN
- Country: Azerbaijan
- Reuters ID: LVAOJJUUQATG5ZQHJPN37A0CI72
- Story Text: Campaigning ends presidential elections in
Azerbaijan.
Monday (October 13) is the final day of campaigning
ahead of Wednesday's (October 15) presidential elections in
Azerbaijan.
The ex-Soviet potentially oil-rich nation is seen by the
West as an alternative source of oil and has had relative
political stability since the early 1990s.
Eight candidates are polling, but there is one man to
beat - prime minister Ilham Aliyev. His last name is
equally important as his official title. Ilham Aliyev is
the son of Azeri President Haydar Aliev.
The eighty-year-old incumbent has dominated the
political scene since the late 1960s. Now apparently
recovering from heart complications at a military hospital
in the United States, the political veteran has pulled out
of the race to back his son's candidacy.
Ilham Aliyev has worked as vice-president of the state
oil company and was elected prime minister this August. He
says his politics will be just like his dad's politics.
"And why this policy should be changed? If living
conditions of the people increase, if we fight with
poverty, if inflation rate is two percent, why, what the
reason to change this policy? There is no reason to change
it. There is a good reason to continue it and I am sure
that the Azerbaijani people will do the right choice," says
Aliyev younger.
But Azerbaijan's opposition is afraid of just this. They
and western human rights groups accuse Haydar Aliyev of
heavy-handed rule and of allowing arrests, beatings and
pressure leading up to the election.
"We have already seen this government for the last ten
years. And now we tell them: 'We don't need you, we need
democratic elections.' We will vote for Isa Gambar, we
trust him," says Lala, speaking at an opposition rally
which attracted almost 20,000 people.
But the opposition is not optimistic about its chances
to take office.
One of the leading opposition candidates Isa Gambar says
that the government will make sure it stays in power.
" I have no doubts that the authorities will try to
falsify the election results, because they know very well
that the people will not vote for it, that voters are
against them, that voters want changes and knowing this the
authorities are preparing total falsification of the
results of the elections," said Gambar.
Whoever becomes the nation's next president will inherit
one problem that has been troubling the country since it's
independence - the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh
and the million refugees from this region.
This mountainous Armenian enclave fought six years with
Azerbaijan and has won effective independence and created a
wave of Azeri refugees who now live in camps inside
Azerbaijan.
Most of them live in appalling conditions, even in the
capital Baku.
Leila, whose son has developed lung problems because of
the humidity in their cellar, doesn't care who the next
president will be, as long as he can help them.
"I don't care who, but someone with compassion should
come here and help us. We cannot live like this any longer.
I get only 11 shirvans (about 20$) and we cannot survive on
this" says Leila.
But for now, the government's sights are set on winning
the election. The prime minister's campaign posters fill
the city and Baku voters seem to give eager support for
Aliyev.
"I will vote for Ilham Aliyev, because he is the only
candidate who said he wants to continue the policy of
Haydar Aliyev, there is no candidate, who says that he
wants to continue the political course of Haydar Aliyev,"
said Khalid.
"Only for Ilham Aliyev, he is the most important one, he
had organised the young people, and the life became
wonderful. We are only for Aliyev," said Jamilya.
It is this type of support that leaves the opposition,
whose posters are torn and ripped down through the town,
left with rather distant hopes of ending the Aliyev's
family rule.
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