Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAKU207
2006-02-10 14:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Baku
Cable title:  

AZERBAIJAN'S NEW CENTRAL ELECTION COMMITTEE

Tags:  PHUM KDEM PGOV AJ 
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VZCZCXRO2840
PP RUEHCD RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHSR
DE RUEHKB #0207 0411413
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101413Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9585
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS BAKU 000207 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KDEM PGOV AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN'S NEW CENTRAL ELECTION COMMITTEE


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.

UNCLAS BAKU 000207

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KDEM PGOV AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN'S NEW CENTRAL ELECTION COMMITTEE


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.


1. (U) The Milli Mejlis (Parliament) held an extraordinary
session on February 7 to designate commissioners for the new
Central Election Commission, as set out in the Unified Election
Code (UEC). Because ten of the 125 parliamentary seats remain
vacant and will be filled through the May 13 rerun elections, the
leadership of Parliament decided to fill 13 of the 18 CEC slots.
The new CEC will run the May 13 rerun elections.


2. (U) According to the UEC, six CEC seats are determined by the
majority party (YAP),six by independent MPs (those that ran
either as independents or did not specify a party affiliation)
and six by minority party MPs. (This formula is a change from
the previous composition of the CEC in that a party not
represented in Parliament will not be represented on election
commissions). The leadership of YAP put forward the same
individuals, including Mezahir Panahov to return for another term
as Chairman. The independent MPs named five of their six
commissioners; three former CEC members and two new. Natiq
Mammadov, an influential member of the old CEC and rumored to be
a candidate for Chairman, is returning as one of two CEC
secretaries. The final independent slot will be filled following

SIPDIS
the results of the rerun elections.


3. (U) The minority parties chose two of their six commissioners.
Asim Mollazade's Democratic Reforms, Whole Azerbaijan Popular
Front, and Great Creation Parties chose Tamam Jafarova, a member
of the Democratic Reforms Party and a new face to the CEC. Civil
Solidarity, Motherland, and Social Welfare Parties chose Rovshan
Ismayilov, also a new commissioner and member of the Civil
Solidarity Party.


4. (SBU) Most notably absent from the list are nominees from
Musavat (whose four MPs participated for the first time during
the February 7 session) and Igbal Aghazade's opposition Umid
Party. It is likely that these parties will nominate candidates
for the remaining four slots, but will have no voice for the May
13 reruns. Popular Front MP Jamil Hasanli is still boycotting
and thus did not put forward a representative, and Rasul
Guliyev's Azerbaijan Democratic Party did not win any
parliamentary mandates. Should PFP and ADP continue to boycott
the electoral process, as they have promised, the international
community may be faced with a dilemma with the new election
commissions. While structured in accordance with the law, it
will be difficult to bless a new CEC that has as its only real
opposition a couple of Musavat members.

HARNISH