Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr E. Huseynli / The Azerbaijani opposition parties should hold a joint meeting without putting forward any terms and without waiting for any results beforehand. The two opposition parties' leaders which intend to boycott the presidential elections and the other parties which intend to take part in the elections should attend the meeting, a member of the Musavat parliamentary group and of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, Panah Huseyn, reported on 20 September.
"I back the participation of all opposition parties in the presidential elections to take place next year," Huseyn said.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held on 15 October 2008.
The representatives of the Azadlyg bloc, who include members of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, the Citizen and Development Party, and the Liberal Party, said they would boycott the presidential elections if there are no changes introduced in the election legislation of the country and if a new composition of the election commission is not formed. The Musavat Party stated that it will join the elections. Serious discrepancies occurred among the parties.
According to Huseyn, the social and political situation in Azerbaijan requires unification of the opposition parties in the elections. He believes a union of the candidates for presidency should be established. Fruitful pre-election operative decisions should be made, the relations between the candidates should be improved, he said. That will remove psychological tension between the opposition forces which occurred after parliamentary elections.
"The parties with conflicting positions have common interests. The opposition can cooperate to provide for conditions for a joint struggle with gerrymandering and for free democratic elections," Huseyn said.
The MP met with the supporters for boycotting the parliamentary elections and the leaders intending to join the elections. But they have not replied to his proposal yet.