Text of report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 31st August

[Presenter in studio] The Azerbaijani Social Democratic Party
[ASDP] has decided to run in the municipal elections. Calling
on people to fight for their rights, the ASDP cochairman,
Zardusht Alizade, said that the authorities wanted to present
Azerbaijan as a nation which had no left wing. This is unknown
in any country in the world. The government believes that no
other power apart from the clan and its marionette opposition
exists, end quote.

Zardusht Alizade said that having decided to take part in
the elections, the ASDP had already encountered violations in
Gyandzha, Agdash and some other districts. He said that the
people sitting on the precinct electoral commissions were those
who had taken part in last year's presidential elections. The
ASDP disseminated a statement which says that the government
intends to repeat the infringements in the municipal elections
which it had tolerated in the presidential polls.

Source: ANS TV, Baku, in Azeri 1000 gmt 31 Aug 99
BBC Mon TCU 310899 cal/vz