ELDAR NAMAZOV KICKS OFF PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 001488 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM AJ SUBJECT: ELDAR NAMAZOV KICKS OFF PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WITH "CITIZENS' CHARTER" Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF JOAN POLASCHIK PER 1.4(B,D). ¶1. (C) Although the start of the official campaign season for Azerbaijan's October 2008 presidential election is more than six months away, presidential hopeful Eldar Namazov has already kicked off his campaign. In a November 21 event, Namazov publicly unveiled the "Citizens' Charter in the Name of National Solidarity and Democratic Revival," which he later privately acknowledged will form the basis of his campaign for the election. Namazov said he had learned the tactic of beginning his campaign as a broader movement at a USAID-funded campaign course in the U.S. in 2004. At the November 21 event, he presented the Charter as a means of transitioning Azerbaijan's government from "authoritarian" to democratic, with the ultimate aim of creating a government of "national unity," with representation from all political affiliations. Namazov said that the Charter's signatories were comprised of ten groups: state and public servants and intellectuals; regional public representatives; rights defenders; media "captains;" lawyers and NGO leaders; former presidents and "those close to them:" war veterans and martyrs' families; youth organizations; representatives of Baku's population "settlements:" and international organizations. ¶2. (C) Namazov said that in the ten days following the November 21 event, he had already collected more than 4,000 signatures. He plans on continuing to gather signatures in the Baku area through January, and in February, he will begin a nationwide signature campaign. Namazov said that his ultimate goal is to gather more than 100,000 signatures, which he believes will signal to the GOAJ that Azerbaijanis are ready for democratic change. In addition, he plans to conduct a series of "gatherings" in cities throughout the country, focusing on the needs of each individual population. Namazov has already attracted many high-profile supporters, including most of Baku's pro-opposition "intelligentsia;" former President Ayaz Mutalibov; major human rights and media figures; prominent youth leaders; and the "white beards," the leaders of many villages surrounding Baku. He noted that he has not made the list of these prominent supporters publicly available (although he passed it to Poloff),because several of them have already received threatening phone calls. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Although observers overwhelmingly anticipate incumbent President Aliyev's re-election in 2008, Namazov's refreshing ideas should breathe some life into the campaign period. His list of supporters is broad and impressive, and he is the most organized of the potential candidates to date. Namazov's impressive organization and seemingly substantial funding are leading observers in Baku to speculate that he is running for president with the backing -- or acquiescence -- from at least some GOAJ officials. Since Namazov is among those who came to the opposition from a government position (as advisor to former President Heydar Aliyev),we believe that he likely does have some degree of support from certain GOAJ circles. It is unclear, however, if these supporters are simply taking a laissez-faire approach with Namazov, attempting to bolster the appearance of a strong, pluralistic political system, or actively campaigning for an alternative to President Aliyev. We believe this question will be answered during the course of the campaign period. ¶4. (U) Verbatim text of Namazov's "Citizens' Charter" below. (English translation done by Namazov's staff.) CIVIL CHARTER "IN THE NAME OF NATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND DEMOCRATIC REVIVAL" The given Charter is a basis for achieving a wide public consensus regarding the necessity of transition from authoritarianism to democracy in Azerbaijan. The participants of the Charter are convinced, that the ways taking to the fair resolution of the Karabakh conflict, the emancipation of our lands from occupation, the sustainable economic development and prospering future of the country, maintenance of worthy life conditions for each citizen of Azerbaijan through construction of democratic political system. Only in this case it is possible to maintain building a government accountable before its people, strong civil society, and free market economy. Such a political system can be built only through holding free and fair elections and carrying out democratic reforms in all spheres of social life. For achieving these goals Charter participants consider important making necessary steps in the following directions: FOR ACHIEVING NATIONAL SOLIDARITY To mold nationwide consensus basing on this Charter for maintaining free voting of Azerbaijan people during the presidential elections of 2008 and making the elections a turning point of transition from authoritarianism to democracy in Azerbaijan. Basing on the results of the presidential elections to form a coalitional and professional National Trust Government for the period by the next parliamentary elections. -- Adopt law "About the status of the ex-president" and apply it to all ex-presidents and their family members; -- Restore the principle of inadmissibility of persecutions for political belonging and views and maintain termination of such cases; -- Political amnesty: terminate of all actions of proceeding raised on political grounds and release all political prisoners, maintain right for deported political figures to return to the Native Land; -- Economic amnesty: adopt necessary economic and legal decisions for liquidation of the "shadow economy," granting state guarantee of inviolability to the legalized private property; -- Create Solidary and Development Assembly - advisory structure with participation of representatives of leading political and oppositional parties and civil society for discussing and adjusting priority problems of national development, including Constitutional reforms. FOR DEMOCRATIZATION OF STATE GOVERNANCE SYSTEM To hold nationwide referendum in 2009 for making following amendments to the State Constitution: -- Transforming to the republic with presidential parliament, restrict the competencies of the president, forming government by the political power possessing majority in the parliament as a result of elections, restoring real independence to the court system and maintaining effective balance between executive, legislative, and court branches of authority; -- Forming National Assembly basing on mixed majority-proportional election system; -- Forming city and regional local executive structures by holding elections; -- Broadening competencies of municipalities and creating city municipalities. The Charter participants consider that fulfillment of all international obligations undertaken and resolutions signed by the Azerbaijan Republic and becoming stable and reliable partner of the international union are components of forming a democratic political system. The Charter participants once again declare that democratic development of Azerbaijan does not have any alternative and call all citizens of the country to discuss and support the Civil Charter. (End text of Charter.) DERSE