U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT CONCERNED OVER AZERBAIJANI REFERENDUM

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2009 14:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani officials say voters have overwhelmingly
approved constitutional amendments scrapping presidential term limits,
in a vote the opposition boycotted.

Azerbaijan’s Central Elections Commission reported a 71 percent turnout
for Wednesday’s ballot. It said about 92 percent of those voting
approved an end to term limits. Critics say this will effectively clear
the way for President Ilham Aliyev to extend his rule indefinitely.

A Council of Europe delegation praised the conduct of the vote,
but urged further political reforms.

Opposition Musavat party leader Isa Gambar said party observers
monitored "thousands of violations."

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Amanda Harper expressed
U.S. concern over the speed with which the referendum was put forward
and restrictions on media and assembly which limited public debate. She
also noted reports of interference by police and officials during
the campaign and on the day of the vote.

The spokeswoman said the United Sates continues to call on the
Azerbaijan’s government to fully respect fundamental freedoms,
including those of expression, association and assembly. She also urged
Azerbaijani authorities to fully investigate reports of interference
in the referendum process

The president’s critics have accused the United States and Europe
of ignoring recent political and media restrictions imposed by the
Aliyev government, for fear of losing access to the country’s vast
energy reserves, VOA reports.

President Aliyev won a second five-year term in October. He came
to power in 2003 after succeeding his father, Heydar Aliyev, who
dominated the country in various posts for more than 30 years.