Azerbaijan, Baku, 2 October / Trend corr. N.Abduallayeva / The Norwegian Foreign Ministry studies the pre-election political situation in Azerbaijan. Raymond Johansen, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway, is holding meetings with officials and leaders of political parties of the country in Baku with this purpose, the Norwegian Embassy in Azerbaijan told Trend on 2 October.
Johansen has held meeting with representatives of six Azerbaijani political parties boycotting the presidential elections, which are scheduled for 15 October.
In the early September, the parties included in Azadlig bloc the (the Popular Front Party, the Liberal Party and the Citizen and Development), the Musavat Party and the Public Forum 'For Azerbaijan' signed a joint statement on recognition of the elections as illegitimate on 5 September. Authorities, which will be formed after the presidential elections, are announced as illegitimate in the statement.
Presidential elections will take place in Azerbaijan on 15 October. Seven contenders will participate - the chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Ilham Aliyev, chairman of the Umid Party Igbal Agazade, chairman of the Great Establishment Party Fazil Gazanfaroglu, chairman of the Muasir Musavat party Hafiz Hajiyev, the chairman of the Unified Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan Gudrat Hasanguliyev, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party of Azerbaijan Fuad Aliyev and independent candidate Gulamhuseyn Alibayli.
Johansen was informed about the pre-election situation in Azerbaijan and decision of the Azadlig parties at the meeting, Ali Aliyev, the co-chairman of the bloc and chairman of the Citizen and Development Party, told Trend .
The Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway plans to meet with Elmar Mammadyarov, the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, and Hafiz Pashayev, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan.
The Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister's visit is being realized within the framework of his tournament to the South Caucasus countries.
The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]