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