Azeri capital's ex-mayor says he might resign as ruling party's deputy chairman

Text of N. Aliyev report by Azerbaijani newspaper 'Zerkalo' entitled "Deputy chairman of New Azerbaijan Party might resign"

[Subhead] While meeting [Baku ex-Mayor] Rafael Allahverdiyev [Azerbaijani President] Heydar Aliyev demanded that the former "stop his propaganda" and relieved Allahverdiyev of his post

`Zerkalo' has learnt from informed sources that Aliyev met Allahverdiyev on Sunday [15th October]. At the meeting Aliyev announced that he was intending to issue a decree and dismiss Allahverdiyev. Some information says that Aliyev demanded that Allahverdiyev "stop his propaganda", in other words, stop publishing statements in the press.

The decree relieving him of his post appeared yesterday [16th October], as well as one appointing Allahverdiyev's first deputy, Mahammad Abbasov, as the acting head of the Baku City Executive Authorities.

There is a kind of logic to the stated reasons for this resignation: Allahverdiyev is registered as a parliamentary candidate and he himself had already signed an order handing over authority to Abbasov. However, Allahverdiyev had been hoping that Aliyev would wait and only issue the decree once the outcome of the elections was clear. He told `Zerkalo' about this in his exclusive interview a few days ago.

The most likely reason behind this urgent removal of Allahverdiyev from his post was Allahverdiyev's sensational statements, in which he criticized representatives of the Presidential Executive Staff and the leadership of the [ruling] New Azerbaijan Party [NAP] [for interfering in the elections].

Allahverdiyev seemed tired yesterday [16th October] and, at the same time, he was prepared for whatever new blows fate might inflict.

[Q] Why did this happen so quickly?

[A] Many people put this question differently: isn't this a result of my confrontation with [Azerbaijani Prime Minister] Artur Rasizade and the Presidential Executive Staff? I think that if the president signed the decree on my dismissal, it means that they were right.

[Q] So, is this a victory for the people with whom you were fighting?

[A] If this decree is signed to prevent the current situation, it means the president believes that those people are right.

[Q] What about you?

[A] I believe that good-for-nothing people are there. Tomorrow they will rise against Heydar Aliyevich [Heydar Aliyev] as happened during the Communist Party's rule. I will not stop my struggle because I am faithful to him.

[Q] Are these people among those you mentioned in your interview to `Zerkalo'?

[A] Yes, they are. There are a number of other people, too.

[Q] Can you name them?

[A] Eight heads of the executive authorities in Baku's districts burst into my office recently. They gave me an ultimatum: I am allegedly betraying Heydar Aliyevich. They threatened me: "Stop this or things will look bad for you." But if they burst into my office today, then tomorrow they will burst into the office of the man who directed them. God forbid, if they feel they could get away with it, they might burst into the president's office, too.

These people were headed by Huseyn Huseynov, the head of Executive Authorities of Binagadi district. All the heads were there, excluding three of them - of Nizami, Garadag and Narimanov districts.

[Q] Your resignation is already a fait accompli. Whom do you see in your post?

[A] I do not want to answer this question - the president decides everything.

[Q] What are you intending to do in future?

[A] I will continue my election campaign. True, there is a nuance here, namely the NAP's support. A situation might arise when I will be forced to settle this issue from the legal point of view because the president relieved me of my post before the elections.

[Q] Are you ready to defect from the NAP, if difficulties will be created for you all the time?

[A] No, I will not defect from the NAP. But if I have no chance to fight against these people, I simply could not remain in the post of NAP deputy chairman.

[Q] When will it be clear?

[A] Today or tomorrow it will be clear what my "colleagues" and party comrades-in-arms are going to do.

[Q] Finally, to whom are you referring?

[A] I mean the people who do not fulfill presidential instructions and decrees in the way the head of state tells the people. Yusif Humbatov [head of the department on work with territorial government bodies of the Presidential Executive Staff] and all his team. If necessary and if the time comes, I will name the others, too.

[Q] Are you experiencing any difficulties during your election campaign?

[A] For the time being, no. Today (17th October - editor) I issued an order and reacquired the duties of head of the city's executive authorities. It was possible to say that I fulfilled my previous duties from 1000-1600 [0500-1100 gmt]. I called a meeting of the mayor's office cabinet and informed them of the president's decision.

[Q] How did they take it?

[A] The members of the executive authorities' cabinet accepted this. I think that they supported me.

Source: 'Zerkalo', Baku, in Russian 17 Oct 00 p 1

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Posted October 23, 2000 © Eurasianet
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