AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION TAKING NOTES ON GEORGIA AND ARMENIA?
By M. Alkhazashvili
The Messenger
March 25 2008
Georgia
With a presidential election slated for autumn in Azerbaijan, analysts
have warned that the political opposition in Baku may be closely
observing the tactics of their Georgian and Azerbaijani counterparts,
who both lost in recent disputed elections and took to the streets
in protest.
"Opposition figures in Azerbaijan are taking note of the situations
in neighboring states and they will mimic [the opposition in] Georgia
and Armenia," Azerbaijani analyst Mubariz Akhmedoglu said, according
to the news agency Regnum.
He says the region could experience a ‘domino effect,’ as political
processes in one country are reflected in others. However he also
says Azerbaijan is a different case from Armenia and Georgia, given
its size, oil wealth, and the fact that it has not attempted to fast
track to democracy.
"We know for sure what is necessary for democracy to spread in the
region. As for Georgia and Armenia-these countries are busy trying
to imitate democracy, without considering that society is not ready
for it," Akhmedoglu said.