Azerbaijan, Baku, 24 April / Trend corr I. Alizade/ Azerbaijani opposition Open Society Party (OSP) accuses the chairmen of opposition parties in Azerbaijan have caused a split in the country's opposition. "The chairmen of parties, whose interests do not coincide with their opportunities, have put the opposition into a deadlock," Yagub Abbasov, Deputy Chairman of OSP, said to Trend on 24 April.
He said that except Rasul Guliyev, OSP leader living in USA, none of the opposition leaders has a chance to win against the candidate of government during the upcoming presidential elections. "Therefore, the opposition leaders should unite with Rasul Guliyev and support him in the elections. But they are not daring enough to accept this. None of the oppositionists, except Rasul Guliyev, will be able to win the presidential elections," he said.
Abbasov said that during the presidential elections of 2003, Guliyev supported the head of Musavat party Isa Gambar. "However, Isa Gambar failed to come to power. How can one support him again? Rather he should step back and support Rasul Guliyev," he said.
Abbasov said that the main purpose of the opposition leaders, who wish to take part in the presidential elections of 2008, is not to win the elections, but to make money for their own interests. The opposition candidates participate in election process in order to show that elections are based on alternative and to imitate democracy.
"In 2003, Rasul Guliyev saw that Isa Gambar was the only candidate with best chances and supported him. I think in the upcoming presidential elections he will again support Gambar," Sulhaddin Akbar, head of Musavat administration, said.
He stated that Guliyev has not yet put forward his candidature for presidency and has not returned back to the country; therefore support to him by Musavat is not being discussed. "If Rasul Guliyev puts forward his candidature and returns to Azerbaijan, Musavat's support to him may be considered," he said.
Akbar described the talks on participation in elections "unserious" and a way to receive money from the government. "In any cases it is not referred to Musavat," he said.
The Chairman of opposition Umid Party, Igbal Agazade, who has put forward his candidature for presidency, called upon the official of Open Society Party to understand responsibility of his words. "We are inside political processes in Azerbaijan and always hold fight. Rasul Guliyev is not returning Azerbaijan because of the fear of arrest. How is it possible to support a candidature of man who is afraid of being arrested and how can we trust our country in his hands? They should pay attention to their words and not force us to speak of those whom we know thoroughly," he said.
Agazade considers that the key person whose wills do not coincide with opportunities is Guliyev.
"Let Guliyev return back to Azerbaijan, and then speak about the support to his candidature. If he comes to Azerbaijan, I am prepared to support his candidature. Candidate for presidency in the USA is Jon McCain. I am not going there to support his candidature," he said.
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