Azerbaijan, Baku, 25 June / Trend corr I. Alizade/ The Quintet and bloc Azadlig representing Azerbaijan's opposition parties are negotiating to cooperate. "The two unions are much likely to cooperate and the issue is currently being negotiated," Chingiz Damiroglu, chairman of the Taraggi Party which is a member of the Quintet, said to Trend on 25 June.
The Quintet consists of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP), the ANIP, Taraggy Party, Musavat Party and public forum In the Name of Azerbaijan. Heads of Musavat, ADP and In the Name of Azerbaijan intend to participate in presidential elections to take place on 15 October.
Bloc Azadlig uniting three opposition parties (Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan - PFPA, Citizen and Development Party, Liberal Party) intends to boycott the elections.
"After changes were made in the Election Code and the Law on Freedom of Assembly, arguments of boycott supporters have piled up. Now, the Quintet parties are likely to boycott presidential elections. So, possibly Quintet and Azadlig will come to a common decision to boycott the elections and to cooperate," Damiroglu said.
Damiroglu said he had undertaken the mediating mission between the two opposition unions. According to him, although ADP (Quintet) chairman Sardar Jalaloglu several times tried to mediate between the unions, he failed to achieve positive results.
"Recently, we were intensively trying to unite with Azadlig and to create a stronger organization to represent at least 7-8 opposition parties. However, due to Azadlig we still have not united, as the bloc flatly opposes unification," said Jalaloglu said.
Deputy Chairman of the PFPA (Azadlig) Hasan Karimov said to journalists that political forces represented in the Quintet will definitely decide to boycott the elections. As to cooperation, the issue may be re-considered. In current situation, cooperation is impossible.
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