Text of report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 13th December

[Presenter in studio] The first municipal elections in Azerbaijan were held
on 12th December. Baku's public and political life was rich today in press
conferences and interviews devoted to the municipal elections. Parvana
Sabirgyzy has a report from the Central Electoral Commission [CEC].

[Correspondent, over video of people in a corridor] Representatives of the
Council of Europe discussed the election results at a closed sitting. The
international observers, who kept media representatives waiting behind
closed doors for over two hours, also kept Jafar Valiyev, chairman of the
CEC, and Nizami Safarov, his deputy, waiting. In the meantime, Jafar
Valiyev, chairman of the CEC, informed us of the election results. He said
that compared to other CIS countries, the municipal elections in Azerbaijan
had been held to a high level. Some 52.6 of the voters turned out to vote.
Valiyev reiterated that the turnout at the municipal elections in Georgia
was 48 per cent and in Armenia - 37 per cent. Asked if there were any
irregularities and failure to hold elections at polling stations, the CEC
chairman gave the following answer:

[Valiyev] They failed in some polling stations. It was lower than 25 per
cent in about 40 stations. We think that they failed.
[Correspondent] Jafar Valiyev expressed the following attitude towards
statements by some opposition parties that the elections were held under
anti-democratic conditions.

[Valiyev] They have been elected and have representatives in every territory
and precinct. They have no grounds to make such statements. We have a
statement from the Musavat Party. That is all for now. Others will also
make them after what I have said.
[Correspondent] As for the opinion of the Council of Europe representatives
about the elections, the chairman said they had informed the CEC about the
violations that happened during the polls. But they have a generally
positive view as the elections were being held for the first time. Anyway,
Alan Lloyd, head of the delegation of the European Congress of Local and
Regional Authorities, spoke about the conclusion the observers drew about
the municipal elections in Azerbaijan. He said these elections could be
regarded as successful as they were held for the first time. But there were
some violations of the law during the polls. He said the fact that
competent persons entered polling stations and hampered voters and
officials, as well as the disparity between signatures on ballot papers and
papers in ballot boxes in some polling stations, prove this. Mr Lloyd said
the municipal elections would play an important role in Azerbaijan's
admittance to the Council of Europe. Parvana Sabirgyzy and Sadig Mammadov,
ANS.

Source: ANS TV, Baku, in Azeri 1730 gmt 13 Dec 99
BBC Mon TCU 141299/** km/ek