AZERIS WORRIED BY KARABAKH, POVERTY, CORRUPTION – POLL
APA
April 10 2009
Azerbaijan
A long-running dispute with neighbouring Armenia over Nagornyy Karabakh
is the main cause for concern for most Azerbaijanis, who are also
worried by poverty and corruption, according to a poll conducted
last January.
The poll, held by a local NGO with funds from the Friedrich Ebert
Foundation, showed that nearly 68 per cent of Azerbaijanis consider
Nagornyy Karabakh as their main problem.
The mostly ethnic Armenian-populated region threw off Azeri rule
following a separatist war in the early 1990s. Azerbaijan and Armenia
are still in a state of war despite a ceasefire signed in 1994.
Of the 1,000 people interviewed in 15 districts and 12 towns of
Azerbaijan, nearly 32 per cent pointed to poverty and 31 per cent to
corruption as their major problems, the APA news agency reported.
The poll also showed that most Azerbaijanis (94.7 per cent of the
respondents) consider Armenia as their country’s enemy. Armenia is
followed by Russia (14.6 per cent) and Iran (10 per cent) on the list
of enemies.
Azerbaijan’s best friend is Turkey, 87 per cent of the respondents
said. Turkey is followed by Russia (15.1 per cent) and Georgia (12.2
per cent).
Of the polled, 59 per cent described the country’s political situation
as calm. Nearly 13 per cent said it was tense. Nearly 69 per cent
said that country was on the right path of development.