Azeri opposition leader asks for democratic elections

BAKU (AA) – Candidate for presidential election in Azerbaijan, Musavat Party Chairman Isa Kamber, said that the problems of the country stem from undemocratic elections, and asked for free and fair elections.

Kamber told reporters as presidential candidates start their election campaigns that no normal election could be held during current President Haydar Aliyev’s ten years in office, and the political parties could have no clear view of their grassroots.

He cited the example of Turkish elections as a democratic process, and praised party leaders for accepting results of democratic elections.

Kamber said his priority would be to fight corruption if he takes office. “Corruption has paralyzed everything in Azerbaijan. No problem of Azerbaijan can be solved if this large-scaled corruption in the country can’t be stopped.”

He indicated unemployment as the second biggest problem of Azerbaijan. “Two million people in a country of eight million left home for jobs abroad, mostly in Russia. But unemployment is still rampant in Azerbaijan.”

Azerbaijan with a strong economy and army can save the occupied territories because Armenia would see that a peaceful relationship with Azerbaijan would be to its interest, he said.

Integration with the NATO and western world will be the underlying purpose of Azeri foreign policy if he comes to power, Kamber said.