AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ELECTION PREPARATIONS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000621

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ELECTION PREPARATIONS WITH
CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION CHAIR PANAHOV

REF: BAKU 454

Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4(b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a June 25 meeting with the
Ambassador, Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman
Panahov reviewed preparations for Azerbaijan's October
presidential election, including voter education and efforts
to improve the voter lists. He defended recent changes to
the electoral code, arguing that changes in free airtime for
candidates and new accreditation requirement for exit polling
organizations would not negatively impact the electoral
process. He also stated that the new experts groups would
strengthen the complaints and appeals process. Although
Panahov complained that the recently deregistered Election
Monitoring Center had produced factually inaccurate reporting
in 2005, he was positive about U.S. election assistance and
observation efforts, and sought deeper cooperation with the
U.S. Embassy. END SUMMARY


2. (SBU) On June 25 the Ambassador met with Central
Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Mazahir Panahov to review
preparations for Azerbaijan's October presidential election.
Panahov began the meeting by stressing the importance of
cooperation between the CEC and the Embassy during this
election year. The Ambassador agreed that that continuous
cooperation with the CEC would be crucial. The Ambassador
then briefed Panahov on U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan for
this year's presidential election, highlighting new proposed
funding for an observation mission from the European Network
of Election Observation Organizations and a Parallel Vote
Tabulation (PVT).


3. (SBU) Panahov stated that he believes it takes time to
make the transition to democracy, but that Azerbaijanis are
fast learners. However, the GOAJ needs to study thoroughly
any new programs before they are implemented in order to
ensure that no side can use the program for political ends.
After discussing the details of the planned PVT, Panahov
agreed that a PVT was not an entirely new program, as the CEC
posted election results rapidly to its website in the 2005
election.


4. (C) Stressing the importance of independent domestic
election observation, the Ambassador asked about the recent
deregistration of the Election Monitoring Center (EMC) (ref
a). Panahov said that he learned of EMC's deregistration
only from the newspapers; the CEC's last interaction with EMC
was during the 2005 parliamentary election, when the CEC
cooperated with the EMC at the request of the U.S. Embassy.
According to Panahov, EMC's first report in 2005 included 15
articles, 9 of which were wrong. After asking EMC to better
verify its information, Panahov and the CEC found that the
next two reports were also full of mistakes, and the CEC then
canceled its cooperation with EMC. The Ambassador stressed
that the U.S. has worked with EMC to improve its
professionalism and that it is a strictly nonpartisan
organization, as required for all U.S. democracy assistance
partners. Panahov suggested that EMC's current problems
could be resolved if its employees simply re-register under a
different name. (In a follow-on meeting, CEC International
Relations Department Head Rovzat Gasimov underscored that the
CEC considers EMC Executive Director Anar Mammadli to be a
strongly pro-opposition partisan. Gasimov said he sees no
way that Mammadli could prove himself to be otherwise, an
allegation also heard from some human rights activists.)


5. (SBU) Panahov outlined the CEC's new voter education
efforts. There hotline established for citizens to check
whether their names were included on the voter list has
proven popular, and a new voter education TV clip to explain
how to insert data onto the voter registration form will be
launched this week. Panahov stressed that the CEC is focused
on correcting the voter list for spelling mistakes, but that
the voter list is in good condition by international
standards. He expressed frustration at international
criticism of the voter list, noting problems in other
countries, and pointed to the CEC website for current
information on CEC efforts to update the list.


6. (SBU) The Ambassador asked Panahov about recent changes
to the electoral code, noting that the international
community had expressed concern about some of the changes.
Panahov stated that the change of candidates, free air time
from state television to public television would not affect
citizens, access to information, as the public station is
now broadcast through the same two satellites as state
television and therefore covers the same areas of the
country. (COMMENT: The Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR
disputed this view in their formal opinion on the electoral

code changes, stating that this change will limit the scope
of information available to voters, based on information
received from the opposition. IREX, however, notes that
public television reaches more viewers than state television,
but its coverage area is less. We will continue to pin down
the facts on this issue. END COMMENT) Regarding the new
requirement that organizations conducting exit polling must
be approved by the CEC, Panahov explained that this was
simply so that he would know who the exit pollsters were. A
short letter would suffice for this accreditation, unless the
organization "raised suspicions." Panahov also complained
that in the 2005 election, despite repeated meetings in which
international officials stressed to him the importance of an
exit poll, none of the international observers, especially
the OSCE, gave Azerbaijan credit for the final results
matching the exit polls "90% of the time."


7. (SBU) In response to question about the changes to the
complaints and appeals process, Panahov said that in his
experience 90% of appeals were unsubstantiated. He believes
it is better to solve the problem on the spot. Under the new
law, he explained, expert groups will be sent to investigate
any reported problem, and will also rely on information from
the international community. Panahov stressed that the U.S.
observers were the best of the international community, as
when they reported a problem it was always substantiated.
CEC International Relations Chief Gasimov separately
elaborated on the new complaints and appeals process,
explaining that each constituency election commission will
now have a three member fact finding team, who will not be
members of the commission, and who will investigate all
reported problems. The exact procedure for this
investigation process has not yet been created, but should be
completed by August. These teams will then be appointed and
trained.


8. (C) COMMENT: In their official comments on the recent
changes to the electoral code, the Venice Commission and
OSCE/ODIHR noted that implementation of many of these new
provisions will be critical. Panahov's willingness to
continue close cooperation with the Embassy on technical
preparations for the election is very positive and will give
us some room to work with the GOAJ to encourage
implementation of these new procedures in a way that meets
international standards. We will meet regularly with Panahov
and his staff throughout the pre-election period. END
COMMENT
DERSE