CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) observation mission on presidential elections in Azerbaijan is pleased with the activities of the Central Election Commission (CEC) and Azerbaijani government regarding open monitoring of the elections. “All conditions have been provided in polling stations. We have been provided with all conditions to observe elections, there are no any obstacles,” Oleg Kuleba, deputy head of CIS observation mission headquarters said in a news conference in Baku.
All conditions have been created for election campaign of the candidates, mission said.
Last week, representatives of Observation Mission of CIS got familiar with the preparations for presidential elections, election campaign in northern and southern regions of Azerbaijan. “We met with the officials of local administrative agencies, visited district election commissions and constituencies in Hajigabul, Salyan, Astara, Lankaran, Lerik, Jalilabad, Davachi, Guba, Gusar and Khachmaz,” Kuleba said.
This week, members of the mission will meet with the representatives of presidential candidates and opposition parties boycotting elections. “Their viewpoint will be discussed, but we will put a special emphasis on presidential candidates,” Kuleba said.
CIS observation mission has addressed President and Foreign Ministry of Georgia to determine their observers. Georgia, still de facto member of CIS, must send observers for our mission, he said. /Trend/

Former Chairman of Supreme Assembly of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Gulamhuseyn Alibayli held the first meeting of the initiative group for establishing a new party. Alibayli told APA that it was decided to name the party Aydinlar Party. Organizing committee was set up at the meeting. The committee includes Gulamhuseyn Alibayli, Gorkhmaz Ibrahimli, Nizami Guliyev, Gadir Ibrahimli and Khanoglan Ahmadov. Gulamhuseyn Alibayli was elected chairman of the organizing committee. The organizing committee is to prepare statute and program of Aydinlar Party, set up party’s central and local structures. The organizing committee said Aydinlar Party will have center-right position and try to bring together the country’s intellectuals, youth and businessmen. /APA/

The Azerbaijan National Independence Party held a zonal conference on “Preparation for Dialog, Abilities to Conduct Negotiations, Alliances in Election and Local Policy” along with Swedish Moderat, spokesman for the party on issues of press and agitation Ali Orujev told the APA. He said the session was held in Sheki region of Azerbaijan. The session was attended by representatives of the regional organizations of Gabala, Ismayilli, Oghuz, Zagatala, Balaken and Gakh, said Orujov. Orujev noted that the next session will be held in Lenkoran on September 25 and after that it will be Baku's turn to host the session. /APA/

The session of the Congress of Azerbaijanis in Ukraine CAU was held in Kiev, the press service for the State Committee for work with Azerbaijanis, residing abroad told APA. The session participants discussed the upcoming presidential elections of October 15. The attendees, including representatives of the organizations from 26 regions of Ukraine, decided to support Ilham Aliyev's candidacy for presidency. The due statement fixes that the citizens of Azerbaijan, living, working and studying in Ukraine will vote for President Ilham Aliyev on October 15. The statement also says that through five years of Ilham Aliyev's presidency Azerbaijan has attained positive results in the settlement of issues in the economic, political, cultural and social spheres.

Great Nation Party (BMP) merged with Democratic Azerbaijan World Party (DADP). Supreme bodies of both parties passed decision about the unification and the document was approved by the deal, DADP Chairman Mammad Alizadeh told APA. He said BMP chairman Samir Adigozalli would be appointed a vice-chairman of DADP. “An order about the Adigozalli’s appointment is ready. Other BMP members will apply for DADP membership”. He said there wouldn’t be any problem in this process. /APA/

Economic Research Center held a meeting with Chairman of United Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, presidential candidate Gudrat Hasanguliyev within the framework of the project “Health in the Millennium Development Goals” supported by Oxfam International Organization and the Global Call to Action against Poverty. The coalition told APA that the representatives of the coalition briefed the presidential candidate about Millennium Development Goals, its implementation in Azerbaijan, infant and maternal mortality rates, models used in the world to remove this problem. Gudrat Hasanguliyev was asked to cover this problem in his platform and pay special attention to its solution if elected. Hasanguliyev said the country’s health system went backward due to the level of medical personnel and added the situation was similar in all spheres. He said corruption cases in education and management system caused this. The presidential candidate considers that it is impossible to achieve fundamental changes in any sphere without eliminating corruption and developing the country’s regions from socio-economic aspect.
The Global Call to Action against Poverty was established in 2005. It has member organizations in several countries, including Azerbaijan.

European Movement International has commenced monitoring over pre-election situation in Azerbaijan, a source in the office of the organization in Baku said.
During the monitoring, besides presidential candidates, representatives of the Movement will meet with the leaders of opposition parties boycotting elections, representatives of media, international organizations, embassies in Azerbaijan and representatives of Central Election Committee.
The monitoring will end three days before the elections. The results will be sent to the Secretariat General of European Movement International, representatives of the movement in 44 countries, European Union, PACE, European Commission, European Parliament and other international organizations. /Trend/

Azerbaijan’s five opposition political organizations, boycotting the presidential elections, will observe them.
“Political organizations, which signed a joint statement to boycott the elections, intend to observe the elections not at all but at several voting stations,” head of Musavat party’s executive body Arif Hajili said to Trend News on 23 September.
Registration of observers at the Central Election Commission will complete 10 days before the elections.
According to Hajili, not the parties will observe the elections but their representatives.
“Particular observers will be registered at the Central Election Commission and district election commissions,” said Hajili. /Trend/

The upcoming presidential elections and internal political situation in Azerbaijan will be discussed in Moscow. Fund of Unified Russia and Strategy of Russia magazine will hold a round table on Azerbaijan 2008 – presidential elections and internal political strategy, a source in the Center for Strategic Studies under Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan said to TrendNews.
Elkhan Nuriyev, head of Center for Strategic Studies will represent Azerbaijan in the round table. Over 50 Russian experts and representative of diplomatic representations have been invited to the meeting. /Trend/

Education employees in Azerbaijan will vote for the presidential candidate of the governing party. “Educational specialists will vote for the candidate of the governing party, current President Ilham Aliyev, at the upcoming presidential elections,” Minister of Education Misir Mardanov said at the 13th convention of teachers on 22 September.
There are 175,220 employees engaged in education in Azerbaijan. /Trend/

Mission of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) says northern regions of Azerbaijan are well prepared for presidential elections.
Northern regions of Azerbaijan are well prepared for presidential elections. The polling stations are very well prepared and technically equipped, Maria Gutsalo, member of the CIS observation mission for presidential elections in Azerbaijan said to TrendNews.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held on 15 October.
The observation mission of CIS visited northern regions of Azerbaijan Khachmaz, Guba, Gusar and Davachi at week-end.
We met with the heads of the local administrative bodies and visited several polling stations,ї Gutsalo said.
Last week CIS observation mission had been to southern regions of the country including Hajqabul, Salyan, Lankaran and other cities. According to the initial results of meetings, the mission concluded that local administrative bodies are interested in free and honest elections. /Trend/

Open Society Party (OSP) has left headquarter at the address of Kichik Gala 128 on Friday, party’s deputy chairman Yagub Abbasov told APA. He said they reached a deal with the building’s owner a year ago and they have been working at that address since then. When the term of contract expired, the building’s owner addressed a court demanding OSP to leave the office.
Abbassov said according to the court’s decision they left the building. He said the party’s equipment would be saved temporarily in the house of OSP chairman Akif Shahbazov and staff would move to the house of one of the party’s activist. /APA/