NEW AZERBAIJAN PARTY

Q: Mr Novruzov, how is the New Azerbaijan Party preparing for the parliamentary elections to be held this year?

A: The New Azerbaijan Party has adopted a special program in connection with the parliamentary elections. Under the decision of the YAP Board of Directors, we have already launched preparations for the elections. As you know an all-republican conference of chairs of the party`s regional and city branches has been held recently. The conference set certain tasks for the party`s branches. YAP has an extensive experience in participating in elections. The advanced technologies applied in presidential, municipal elections will be introduced in parliamentary elections too. This helps us learn world practice, and improve our own practice. In general, preparations for an election take a year. After the municipal elections we studied all our reports to find out where we have shortcomings. Now we are drawing up a new plan of action and program. At the second stage we will select party activist who will deal with the application of election technologies. What does it include? Firstly, it is voters` movement. They move to other places, change their place of residence. This manifested itself during the municipal elections. We regularly work on voters lists. We try to assign three activists to each constituency. We already started to create these groups. We will conduct trainings for these groups to educate them on how to work with voters. We attach great importance to carrying out promotion campaign. 

Q: What is done to involve youth in this process?

A: We have launched a special program on youth. Under this program we ensured active involvement of youth and women in the municipal elections.

As you know advised by the leadership of the New Azerbaijan Party the Youth Wing actively participated in the 2009 municipal elections in the country. As a result of this the presence of youth in municipalities increased from 4-5 per cent to 30 per cent.

The Youth Wing of the New Azerbaijan Party took an active part in the municipal elections last year. Our young members supported our young candidates both in the capital and in regions. Employees of the Youth Wing were actively involved in the municipal elections both as voters, observers and heads of election commissions. The majority of young candidates from the New Azerbaijan Party won the municipal elections.

We plan to actively involve youth in the preparations for the parliamentary elections. No doubts, we will also have young candidates who will run for parliamentary seats.

Q: Authority-opposition dialogue is held for the second year. But the opposition each time misinterprets the essence of this dialogue. What can you say of this?

A: The government and the opposition can discuss any topic, because these two institutions actually determine the current and future political, public and social management of the Azerbaijani society, the fate of the domestic and foreign policy.

The meetings between the government and the opposition become a tradition: Two months ago we had our first meeting at which some issues for future meetings were discussed.

According to principles set by national leader Heydar Aliyev, the New Azerbaijan Party is committed to the dialogue with opposition. At that time in 1998 nation al leader Heydar Aliyev invited chairs of four parties to participate in the elections. Because the only way of coming to power is through elections. There is no other way.

We had several meetings between ruling and opposition parties. The last meeting marked very good results. Four conditions set at that meeting were supported by all parties. We decided to hold this meeting every two months. It is praiseworthy. This initiative is praised and supported by all parties.

Musavat has already stated that they will attend the next meeting. The main problem here is that Musavat lacks legitimacy. At a recent congress Musavat was illegally divided into two parts. And there is no dialogue between these two parts. Our opposition parties lack dialogue today. As far as AXCP is concerned they cannot reach internal agreement. But they are welcome.

Q: Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State Victoria Nuland visited Azerbaijan. How can you comment on this visit?

A: In general, I praise the visit of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State Victoria Nuland to Azerbaijan. The visit clarified several dark issues. The strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States was high on the agenda. The US Assistant Secretary of State reiterated the fact that there is public and political stability in Azerbaijan, and that the country was the regional leader. She responded to those who misuse the society about a revolution that can happen in Azerbaijan. She said that such situation will never happen in Azerbaijan. There is unity and solidarity between the authorities and the people, between President Ilham Aliyev and the people. Some local and American NGOS are spreading false information.

Q: Victoria Nuland also visited Armenia. She called on the Armenian side to set free Azerbaijanis that were captivated in occupied lands. How do you think will this yield any fruit?

A: Azerbaijani captives Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev must be released. They are civilians and were on their homelands. They are neither terrorists nor members of raiding or reconnaissance groups. The UN resolution approved that Kalbajar is an Azerbaijani land which was occupied by the Armenian armed forces. So these Azerbaijanis must be freed, and we must put an end to provocations of the Armenian side.