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