Ali Ahmadov: before every election, our opponents reach agreement with the Armenians

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Musavat Party has defended a declaration with Armenian and Georgian parties, while the ruling New Azerbaijan Party has criticized the document.

“The Musavat party is the oldest political party in the Caucasus and it knows what documents to put its name to," Musavat Party Secretary Arif Hajili told 1news.az.

“We are positive about the signing of the declaration on cooperation with the political parties of the South Caucasus, especially since in this agreement all three political parties of the South Caucasus set the goals of integration into the European community and the establishment of peace and democracy in the region,” Hajili said.

Anticipating criticism, he said the party had not forgotten that it was when the Armenian Pan-National Movement was in power that Azerbaijani land was occupied. However, now the Pan-National Movement takes a more constructive position on resolution of the Karabakh conflict than other Armenian political parties, Hajili explained.

“We think that the establishment of democracy, peace and prosperity in the region can bring the countries closer to resolution of the Karabakh conflict,” he said.

The cooperation declaration was signed in Potsdam on 8 October by three major opposition parties from the South Caucasus. Aram Manukyan, leader of the Armenian Pan-National Movement, David Usupashvili, leader of the Georgian Republican Party, and Isa Gambar, leader of the Musavat Party, signed the declaration.

The document was finalized on the last day of a conference, "The road to peace in the South Caucasus: property - freedom - welfare", organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

The declaration sets out as basic principles the right to life, personal freedom and equality before the law, property rights and the market economy, free and fair elections and transparent government.

"The declaration, which has started an utterly new phase in the historical development of the region, can without exaggeration be said to be wanted by society in all three countries, and this means that it will get more support than initiatives from those who call for war and restrictions on civil freedoms," Mehman Aliyev, director of Turan news agency, commented.

Ali Ahmadov, deputy chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, said that Isa Gambar was having to look for support outside the country.

"Before every election, our opponents reach agreement with the Armenians. On the eve of the last elections, one of Ali Karimli's comrades, Ruslan Bashirli, did a deal with the Armenians and now the head of the Musavat Party, Isa Gambar, has signed an agreement with an Armenian political party," he told a press conference today.

"You should ask Isa Gambar whom their collaboration with the Armenians is targeting. Some people will go against the national interest to achieve their own ends."