PRESIDENT ALIYEV MAKES POSITIVE ELECTION

UNCLAS BAKU 000764 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG KIRF AJ SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ALIYEV MAKES POSITIVE ELECTION STATEMENTS DURING CABINET MEETING SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION ¶1. (SBU) During an August 5 Cabinet of Ministers' meeting, President Aliyev made several election-related comments, ranging from monitoring to candidates' meetings with voters to the media environment. The meeting's primary purpose was the semiannual review of the economy (January - June 2008), led by Finance Minister Sharifov, but Aliyev used the final portion of the meeting to address GOAJ preparations for the October 15 presidential election, which has gained much attention in Europe and the United States. Initial reaction to the President's comments was favorable, although full implementation of the instructions remains to be seen. ¶2. (SBU) According to the state-run AzerTag transcript of President Aliyev's comments, Aliyev said the "presidential elections in Azerbaijan must and will be held fairly, transparently. We will invite international observers. . . equal conditions must be, are, and will be created for all candidates. Each candidate must have the same, equal opportunity till elections, both for implementation of the campaign and meeting with people. Corresponding instructions have been given to set places for meeting of candidates with electors in all regions and assure use of all candidates of the same places. This equality principle must be protected in implementation of promotion campaign. This is what I request from the mass media. Of course, public mass media must accept it as instruction. I just can recommend private bodies not to discriminate against any candidate." ¶3. (SBU) In an interview with Turan News Agency after the meeting, Ali Hasanov, the head of the Presidential Administration's Public-Political Affairs Department, highlighted President Aliyev's key election-related comments. Hasanov observed Aliyev's emphasis that the elections be transparent and fair, and that candidates have equal opportunity to meet with voters and publicly campaign. Per septel, a senior GOAJ official also raised Aliyev's comments in an August 7 meeting with the Ambassador, confirming that the GOAJ was committed to identifying sites throughout Azerbaijan -- including in Baku -- where candidates could peacefully meet with voters. These sites, in turn, could be published in Azerbaijani periodicals. Vanity Posters Coming Down -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Aliyev also instructed executive authorities countrywide to take down his pictures and billboards from public places to ensure a level playing field for all candidates in the presidential election. According to the AzerTag transcript, Aliyev said: "I have told before the city and district executive bodies to remove my portraits from streets. There is no need for it. . . . The people of Azerbaijan have shown there attitude toward me in 2003. During these five years, I have tried to justify the confidence of the Azerbaijani nation. The people of Azerbaijan will again show their confidence in me. I will again serve the nation of Azerbaijan during the next five years if they trust me." According to local press, executive authorities in several regions have begun to remove the ubiquitous portraits of President Aliyev. Simultaneously, authorities have begun to make space available in public places for campaign materials. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Aliyev's comments to GOAJ officials lay down a positive rhetorical marker. It is unclear whether Aliyev's comments on candidates be allowing to meet with electors refers to a new-found GOAJ willingness to allow parties to peacefully conduct rallies or simply permitting candidates to meet with potential voters. LU