Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend E.Huseynli / The Azerbaijani authorities want the opposition to join the presidential elections scheduled for 2008, Ramiz Mehdiyev, the head-of-staff of the President's Executive Power, said on 20 November.
"We want representatives from different forces to put forward their candidacy in the presidential elections," Mehdiyev said.
The Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has great influence in the country and his victory in the elections does not raise any suspicion.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held on 15 October 2008. The ruling New Azerbaijan Party stated that it was going to nominate Ilham Aliyev in the upcoming elections.
Mehdiyev said that international organizations cannot press any special terms on Azerbaijan in connection to the conduct of elections. Azerbaijan has its own interests in which the way the country is developing. The presidential elections will be democratic and meet the interests of the Azerbaijani Government.
