From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Nov 19 2002 - 10:59:30 EST
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
BULLETIN N37 (82), November 19, 2002
37, Azerbaijan Avenue
Baku-370000, Azerbaijan
Phone/fax: (+99412) 933935 (+99450) 3141717
E-mail: mhajibeyli@azeronline.com
# 1. "AZERBAIJAN MUST APPEAL TO THE NATO FOR A MEMBERSHIP"
DemCongress has come out with a new suggestion.
# 2. OSCE INITIATIVE APPRECIATED
Opposition is interested in being profitable of the Round Tables dedicated to the
discussion of the Election Code draft.
# 3. ANOTHER OFFICIAL BROUGHT AN ACTION AGAINST "YENI MUSAVAT"
The number of court suits against the newspaper has become five.
# 1. "AZERBAIJAN MUST APPEAL TO THE NATO FOR A MEMBERSHIP"
DemCongress has come out with a new suggestion.
"The official Baku must appeal to the NATO and notify Azerbaijan's intention to
become a member of that organization"- this suggestion has appeared as a result of
relevant discussions held at the meeting of the Democratic Congress Steering
Committee dated November 18. On commenting the mentioned suggestion chairman of the
DemCongress Isa Gambar said: "The principal position of DemCongress concerning the
Azerbaijan-NATO relationships is known. In our today's meeting, we have held an
exchange of opinions on a NATO's summit to be held in Prague in the nearest days.
We suggest the government to appeal officially to the NATO for a membership to that
organization. This step is expedient both for taking into account Azerbaijan's
problems itself, security problems in the region, and the necessity of country's
integration to the Euro-Atlantic sphere. It was turned out that several powers, as
well as Georgia is going to apply to the NATO for a membership at the summit to be
held in Prague, Czech Republic. We think that if Azerbaijan and Georgia put this
step at the same stage, it will be more expedient and more profitable".
It is notable that the Prague summit will start its work on November 21. It is
expected that the appeals of the Baltic republics in connection with membership to
the NATO will be considered at the summit. Azerbaijani head of the state Heidar
Aliev will take part in the Prague summit, too.
# 2. OSCE INITIATIVE APPRECIATED
Opposition is interested in being profitable of the Round Tables dedicated to the
discussion of the Election Code draft.
"We are pleased of the OSCE initiative to conduct Round Table dedicated to the
discussion of Election Code in Azerbaijan", Arif Hajili, deputy chairman of the
Musavat Party, said. He pointed out that putting the Election Code and other
election laws to public discussion is, in fact, a duty of the government bodies.
"But the government bodies did not do that because of not being interested in
ensuring transparency at the process of adoption of election laws", Mr. Hajili
stressed. A Musavat's functionary has also clarified the information issued at our
previous bulletin on having been given the Election Code to the OSCE Office of
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights [ODIHR] still in January this year. He
said that the draft was presented to the IFES [International Foundation for
Election Systems], but not to the ODIHR in January: "We have got a number of
important informations about the Election Code after having acquainted with a
relevant comment of the IFES experts. In its turn, the ODIHR has not kept
confidential the information on having been presented that draft to them, as well.
A draft of the Election Code was an object of discussion yet in spring of this year
at the meeting held between the opposition and ODIHR representatives in Warsaw".
Arif Hajili also marked that opposition parties intend to strengthen the struggle
towards the improvement of the election legislature, as well as do its best for
making profitable the Round Tables conducted by the OSCE.
# 3. ANOTHER OFFICIAL BROUGHT AN ACTION AGAINST "YENI MUSAVAT"
The number of court suits against the newspaper has become five.
On November 18, there was held preparation session of the trial against the "Yeni
Musavat" newspaper on the basis of the suit of Barat Nuriev, former deputy chairman
of the Committee of State Property, at the Sabail district court. It is notable
that the reason of that suit was the news on being accused the Azerbaijani
high-rang state officials in financial frauds by the American investors.
There was heard information about the plaintiff and responsible sides at the
preparation session. Vidadi Mahmudlu, a lawyer of the "Yeni Musavat" said the suit
letter was not produced right and raised a solicitation on returning the
application back to the plaintiff. But the court's judge Alim Namazov did not
ensure that solicitation. The next legal proceedings are scheduled for December 17,
2002. A lawyer Mahmudlu stated in his interview with journalists that according to
the procedural rules, a wrongly produced suit application could not be taken for
execution. In his opinion, taking this suit for execution by the court shows that
the case is by order.
It is notable that officials' court suits against the "Yeni Musavat" have become
like a campaign. On November 18, 2002, Abulfaz Agayev, head of the executive power
of Sabirabad region, has appealed to the court with a suit application against the
newspaper, too. So, the number of court suits against the "Yeni Musavat" has become
five. In all cases, the plaintiffs are representatives of the government bodies-
Ministry of Defense, former heads of the Committee of State Property- Barat Nuriev
and Nadir Nasibli, head of executive power of Saatli region Gulhusein Ahmadov, and
head of the executive power of Sabirabad region Abulfaz Agayev. Observers do not
suspect that the campaign held against the "Yeni Musavat" is carried out by the
order of the government.
Last week, there was founded the Committee for protecting the rights of "Yeni
Musavat" newspaper. Heads of the leading political parties and distinguished public
organizations, mass media representatives, famous intellectuals and MPs include to
the Committee. The Committee plans to begin active protection measures, as well as
hold mass actions with a claim of stopping groundless attacks on the newspaper
beginning from this week.
__________________________________________________________________________
Members of the Democratic Congress:
The Musavat Party
Azerbaijan Popular Front Party
Azerbaijan People's Party
Party "Ahrar"
Party "Azadlig"
Party of Modern Turan
Party of People's Freedom
Turkish Nationalist Party
Democratic Rightist Party
Party of Green's
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BULLETIN N37 (82) November 19, 2002
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