AZERBAIJAN SYMPATHIZES WITH JOHN MCCAIN AND HOPE FOR REPUBLICANS TO WIN

Azerbaijan Business Center
Nov 6 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Candidate for the US president, Republican John
McCain is more popular in Azerbaijan compared to his contender Barack
Obama. This is concluded based on forecasts and opinions of some of
Azeri statesmen.

"The candidature of John McCain is more admissible in respect to
Azerbaijan’s interests. He is more experienced in international policy,
sees real American interests which for sure include Azerbaijan. McCain
is well-informed about unfairness committed by Armenia and Russia to
Azerbaijan. John McCain is not influenced by Armenian organizations
and has not made any ‘advanced’ statements in their favor in chase
of votes," Political Scientist Rasim Musabeyov said. In his opinion,
McCain is more real statesman unlike democrat Obama.

"Any big changes, let’s mention Barack Obama is characterized as a
supporter of changes, particularly concerning foreign policy, are
followed by big risks. Does Obama has guarantees promising to avoid
such risks?," the Political Scientist asks.

Eldar Namazov, Political Scientist, Leader of Public Forum ‘For
the Sake of Azerbaijan’ said in case McCain wins America-Azerbaijan
relations will hardly change.

"McCain is more real statesman while Obama is ‘a dark horse’ and we
do not know what to expect from him. Some of his statements are very
unusual for the US and carrying ‘missioner messages’.

"It is much easier to overturn public opinion that the States’
politic and economic system," E.Namazov said.

He has not made any forecasts relating perspectives of
America-Azerbaijan ties in case Obama wins.

"Democrats’ candidate has already promised to recognize ‘Armenian
genocide’ that is also not in favor of Azerbaijan," E.Namazov stated.

In his opinion lately McCain stressed home policy and socio-economic
plans in his speeches and reduced a break between electors’ sympathies.

Namazov has made some forecasts relating the election.

"The difference between candidates will be very small not depending
on whether Obama or McCain wins," E.Namazov said.

Namazov does not exclude that the ‘Bradley effect’ (In 1982,
Tom Bradley, the long-time mayor of Los Angeles, California, ran
as the Democratic Party"s candidate for Governor of California
against Republican candidate George Deukmejian, who is white. Most
polls in the final days before the election showed Bradley with a
significant lead. Based on exit polls, a number of media outlets
projected Bradley as the winner and early editions of the next day"s
San Francisco Chronicle featured a headline proclaiming "Bradley
Win Projected." However, despite winning a majority of the votes
cast on election day, Bradley narrowly lost the overall race once
absentee ballots were included. Post-election research indicated that
a smaller percentage of white voters actually voted for Bradley than
polls had predicted, and that previously "undecided" voters had voted
for Deukmejian in statistically anomalous numbers).

"There is a concept in the States called ‘political correctness’. The
voters could hide their wish to vote for white candidate at social
polls, but actually vote for him," E.Namazov said.

Chairman of Azerbaijan’s Democratic Party Sardar Jalaloglu also said
he sympathizes with John McCain.

"He was in Azerbaijan and is famous for his pronouncement of human
rights, appeals for releasing political prisoners," S.Jalaloglu said.

At the same time S.Jalaloglu is not forecasting any serious changes
in the US policy relating to Azerbaijan whether McCain or Obama wins.

"There are established state institutes in the United States which
policy is not formed by a separate person," Jalaloglu said.

He considers current American elections very important in respect
to counteraction of two races. Obama’s winning will prove a full
democracy in American society as it would avoid any racial concepts.

"US-Azerbaijan relations will not change. We can only talk about
possibility of introducing some corrections to US policy in the
region," Doctor of Judicial Sciences, Rustam Mammadov, Chief of
International Law Department at Baku State University, said.

Today is the day of US presidential elections. The main competition
is between candidates representing two largest parties – Democrat
Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.