19:58, 8 August 2003

Ilykham Aliyev does not regard opposition candidates as worth rivals at election

The Prime-Minister of Azerbaijan and one of the candidates for a president?s post Ilykham Aliyev expressed skepticism about the odds of opposition candidates for the post of the state head at the election.

?I hold that the level of their support in the society is very low. But at the same time I think political ethics requires each candidate to be treated with respect?, Aliyev told journalists on Tuesday.

Aliyev standing for a president said he made his election platform within the line of the country?s president Geydar Aliyev, in particular, he does not see the necessity of changing Baku?s policy in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement: ? I believe this policy of Azerbaijan is supported, and it will give us an opportunity to gain desirable results in the negotiation process?.

Ilykham Aliyev was approved for the post of the prime-minister past Monday by 101 ayes with 1 abstention. 105 deputies presented at the session of the parliament, 102 of them took part in the voting.

Source: Interfax News Agency