Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency Sharg on 6th
September

4th September, Sharg correspondent E. Mammadov: The
Central Electoral Commission (CEC) does not have the authority
to intervene in the course of the municipal elections. This is
why the statements by some opposition activists about employees
of the Central Electoral Commission falsifying the results of
lots-casting to form territorial and electoral commission (TEC)
are groundless, the press secretary of the central Electoral
Commission, Arif Mammadov, told Sharg.

He said that the CEC only financed the TEC and gave
methodical instructions. However, Mammadov noted that the CEC
representatives take part in the collection of ballot papers
after the casting of lots, but in the opinion of the
opposition, this is the key issue, because at this moment one
can avoid "needless" ballots.

As for inofficial information that the OSCE may not take
part in the forthcoming municipal elections, Mammadov said that
he was not sure that the information was true and thought that
the OSCE would render assistance in holding the elections and
would take part in observing them.

Speaking about proposals from the the director of the OSCE
Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Gerard
Stoudman to reconsider the law On the Central Electoral
Commission, Mammadov hinted that this may be the result of of
frequent statements by opposition leaders, who had been trying
to include their representatives in the commission for a long
time and who had often drawn the attention of various
international organizations, including the OSCE, to this
question.

"The opposition was given this possibility, even in the
run-up to the last presidential elections, however it refused,"
Mammadov said.

Source: Sharg news agency, Baku, in Russian 0540 gmt 06 Sep 99
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