Azeri government-opposition dialogue postponed
ANS TV, Baku
10 Aug 05
The fourth round of a dialogue between the government and the
opposition due to be held in the headquarters of the Civic Solidarity
Party [CSP] at 1200 [0700 gmt] today has been postponed.
The decision came after a demand by the [ruling] New Azerbaijan Party
and the [pro-government] Motherland and Social Welfare parties that
the [opposition] People's Front of Azerbaijan Party [PFAP] should stop
its participation in the dialogue. They refused to continue talks with
the PFAP after the arrest of the Yeni Fikir [opposition youth movement
believed to be close to PFAP] leader, Ruslan Basirli, who was accused
of cooperating with Armenian special services.
However, the member parties of the [opposition] Azadliq bloc - the
Musavat Party, the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan and the PFAP - said
on 9 August that they would participate in the dialogue only as a
bloc. They said none of the three parties could be prevented from
participating in the dialogue.
Thus, the forth round of the dialogue is under question. The CSP
postponed the meeting to conduct talks with the sides.
The New Azerbaijan Party and the pro-government parties did not
participate in the third round of the talks in the Musavat Party's
headquarters a few days ago.
ANS TV, Baku
10 Aug 05
The fourth round of a dialogue between the government and the
opposition due to be held in the headquarters of the Civic Solidarity
Party [CSP] at 1200 [0700 gmt] today has been postponed.
The decision came after a demand by the [ruling] New Azerbaijan Party
and the [pro-government] Motherland and Social Welfare parties that
the [opposition] People's Front of Azerbaijan Party [PFAP] should stop
its participation in the dialogue. They refused to continue talks with
the PFAP after the arrest of the Yeni Fikir [opposition youth movement
believed to be close to PFAP] leader, Ruslan Basirli, who was accused
of cooperating with Armenian special services.
However, the member parties of the [opposition] Azadliq bloc - the
Musavat Party, the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan and the PFAP - said
on 9 August that they would participate in the dialogue only as a
bloc. They said none of the three parties could be prevented from
participating in the dialogue.
Thus, the forth round of the dialogue is under question. The CSP
postponed the meeting to conduct talks with the sides.
The New Azerbaijan Party and the pro-government parties did not
participate in the third round of the talks in the Musavat Party's
headquarters a few days ago.