Azeri opposition MP in favour of Bush’s victory in presidential polls

Sarq, Baku
5 Aug 04

Excerpt from Yadigar Cafarli and Teymur Turan report by Azerbaijani
newspaper Sarq on 5 August headlined “John Kerry’s remarks seem
dangerous” and subheaded “Asim Mollazada: ‘This man is one of the
authors of Section 907′”. Subheadings have been inserted editorially:

The main issue on the agenda is the visit to Baku by the rapporteurs
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe PACE on
Azerbaijan, Andreas Gross and Andres Herkel. At its autumn session,
PACE’s agenda will include the discussion of Azerbaijan’s commitments
to the organization. This attaches special importance to the visit of
the co-rapporteurs to Baku. A member of the Azerbaijani delegation at
PACE and an MP from the “reformist” wing of the People’s Front of
Azerbaijan Party, Asim Mollazada, also reckons that this visit is
important.

Mollazada The Azerbaijani public pins great hopes on the visit. I am
sure that Azerbaijan can get stronger by integrating European values.

Passage omitted: Azerbaijan’s relations with the PACE

US official’s regional visit

Correspondent The recent visit of US Assistant Secretary of State for
European and Eurasian Affairs Elizabeth Jones has caused much
interest.

Mollazada This was a scheduled visit. She visited not only Azerbaijan,
but also Georgia.

The visit had been planned. Therefore, I see nothing strange about
it. This was a working visit and if there are more of such visits and
such relations, this will be of benefit to Azerbaijan and the region.

There are some really dangerous processes under way in the region,
namely, in Georgia’s South Ossetia. Naturally, the USA – which has
relations of partnership with Azerbaijan and Georgia – is monitoring
these developments.

Correspondent Did the visit have an impact on the delay in the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline’s construction in Borjomi?

Mollazada I think that this is temporary. The construction will resume
within days.

The US presidential election

Correspondent The election campaign is under way in the USA. You used
to be an active supporter of George Bush in Azerbaijan. What about
now?

Mollazada I would like to recall that during his four-year term in
office, George Bush suspended the unjust Section 907 to the Freedom
Support Act banning direct US government assistance to Azerbaijan
. The measures he has taken on the issues where Azerbaijani and
American interests converge have facilitated Azerbaijan’s development.

Correspondent What about John Kerry then?

Mollazada Some of Kerry’s remarks seem dangerous to me. This man is
one of the authors of Section 907. He recently said that when elected
he would take certain decision regarding the “Armenian genocide”.

I believe that a person who prioritizes the interests of one ethnic
diaspora in his election campaign will prove unable to fully protect
America’s national interests in the future. What we want is
cooperation between the USA and Azerbaijan, a policy based on common
interests.

I hope that the majority of the American people will vote for the
politician who protects national security better.