Azeri head expects "certain difficulties" in holding municipal elections

 
Excerpts from report by Azerbaijani news agency Turan on 2nd
September

Baku, 2nd September: Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev
received Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights Gerard Stoudman yesterday [1st
September].

[Passage omitted: Stoudman says OSCE to cooperate with
Azeris in the municipal elections.]
Aliyev voiced the readiness to cooperate with the OSCE in
all issues and to fulfil OSCE recommendations. As for the
municipal elections, the president noted that there would be
certain difficulties in holding them.

Aliyev assured Stoudman that he would give relevant
instructions to the Foreign Ministry about the opening of the
OSCE office in Baku.

Touching upon the talks between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents, Aliyev said that the meetings would
probably be continued, again in Geneva. Aliyev confirmed his
intent to resolve the Karabakh conflict peacefully. He said
that both parties should make mutual compromises. However, as
it is unaware of the essence of the compromises, the
Azerbaijani opposition objects to them.

Heydar Aliyev also touched upon the POW exchange issue,
saying that the Azerbaijani side was doing everything for this,
while the same cannot be said about the Armenians.

Source: Turan news agency, Baku, in Russian 1056 gmt 02 Sep 99
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