Category: Key Issues

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan has registered the candidacy of two more people to participate in the presidential election, Trend reports. Today's meeting of the commission has discussed the registration of presidential candidates Zahid Oruj and Razi Nurullayev. Their candidacies were put up for voting and registered. Thus, the number of registered presidential candidates has reached three. CEC on Dec. 19 approved the candidacy of Ilham Aliyev, nominated by the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), for participation in the extraordinary presidential election. Later, at the CEC session held on December 21, the commission approved the self-nominated candidates of Zahid Oruj and Fuad Aliyev, Fazil Mustafa of the Great Order Party, Elshad Musayev of the Great Azerbaijan Party, Gudrat Hasanguliyev of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party and Razi Nurullayev of the National Front Party to become candidates for the upcoming election. On Dec. 26, self-nominated Sarvan Karimov, Matlab Mutallimli , Abutalib Samedov, Fikrat Yusifov, Yusif Baghirzadeh, Arzuman Abdulkarimov, Yunus Oguz and Gulamhuseyn Alibeyli have been approved by the CEC to put up their candidacies for the presidential election. Also, on December 30, the CEC approved the self-nominated Namizad Safarov to put up his candidacy for the election. Early presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024. The corresponding decree was signed by President Ilham Aliyev. Source: TREND News Agency

Stockholm: Sweden's leading newspaper "Svenska Dagbladet" has published an article by Azerbaijani Ambassador to the country Zaur Ahmadov. Ambassador Zaur Ahmadov mentioned that the decision on Azerbaijan's hosting of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in 2024 was unanimously adopted, adding that this happened against the background of positive progress towards the normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The diplomat informed the Swedish readers about the consistent steps taken by Azerbaijan to ensure a transition to green energy, as well as the Black Sea Submarine Power Transmission Cable established by Azerbaijan and its partners for exporting green energy to Europe. Drawing attention to the fact that Azerbaijan, a country that is considered a reliable partner by the international community was a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, the ambassador underscored that it currently chairs the Non-Aligned Movem ent (NAM), which is the second largest international organization after the UN. The Azerbaijani diplomat also highlighted the country's successful hosting of such prestigious international events as Eurovision song contest, European Games, UEFA Europa League Final, European football championship matches, Formula 1, International Astronautical Congress and etc. The ambassador emphasized that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had chaired the first meeting regarding the holding of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - COP29 in the country next year, expressing his confidence that this prestigious event would be organized in accordance with the highest international standards by the relevant public institutions. Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency

The number of polling stations created for voting in foreign countries and registered at the consulate on the day of the early presidential election in Azerbaijan has been announced, Trend reports. Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan Mazahir Panahov said at today's meeting of the CEC that 49 polling stations have been created in 37 countries for voting abroad. The deadline for creating polling stations for voting in foreign countries and with consular registration expires on January 7. The stations must be created by the heads of diplomatic missions or consular departments of Azerbaijan in the territories where voters are located no less than 30 days before voting day (until January 8, 2024). Early presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024. The corresponding decree was signed by President Ilham Aliyev. Source: TREND News Agency

Baku: Azerbaijan's newly appointed Ambassador to India Elchin Huseynli has presented his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Presidential Palace in New Delhi. During the credential presentation ceremony, Ambassador Huseynli conveyed the sincere greetings of President Ilham Aliyev to President Droupadi Murmu. In response, President Murmu expressed gratitude for the greetings and requested the ambassador to communicate her best wishes to President Aliyev. The meeting included discussions on the current state of relations between Azerbaijan and India across various sectors, such as economic and trade, energy and tourism. Both sides emphasized the considerable potential for expanding cooperation in bilateral and multilateral formats. President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Ambassador Huseynli on his appointment and extended her best wishes for his successful tenure. Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to Japan regarding the loss of life as a result of the earthquake, Trend reports. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and damage caused by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in Japan. We extend heartfelt condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones in this disaster, and wish speedy recovery to the injured," the ministry wrote on its page on X. The death toll from earthquakes in the central part of Japan reached 92. As many as 242 people are missing, and more than 250 people suffered injuries of various severity. Source: TREND News Agency

The French ambassador to Armenia has turned anti-Azerbaijani activities into his lifestyle, the Western Azerbaijan Community said, Trend reports. "The approach of the French ambassador, who believes that his xenophobic tweets and statements allegedly 'sting' Azerbaijan, is just ridiculuous," the community noted. "This professional Azerbaijanophobe is trying to position himself as a 'hero' in Armenian society. It seems that the French ambassador, by publishing such bad tweets, is trying to express his anger at the fact that his country has been unable to adopt documents against Azerbaijan in the UN Security Council for several months." "The ambassador with a crusader mentality should understand that he is accredited in Armenia and should not interfere in matters concerning the sovereignty of another country - Azerbaijan," the community pointed out. "As an ambassador, he should specifically address the issue of ensuring the rights of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia, the inadmissibility of destruction, de secration of mosques, and the cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people in Armenia. However, ethnic and religious prejudices, Azerbaijanophobia, Islamophobia, and charlatanism do not allow him to do so," the community added. Source: TREND News Agency

Azerbaijan has created all the necessary conditions for the free practice of all religions, Chief Rabbi of the Mountain Jews Synagogue in Tel Aviv Shmuel Simantov told Trend, commenting on the statement of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that a number of countries, including Azerbaijan, are on a "watch list" for religious freedom. "I was born in Baku. I ended my activity in Azerbaijan two years ago, and at present I am in Israel. While in Azerbaijan, I was a rabbi in the Oghuz district, in the synagogue of European and Georgian Jews in Baku, and the director of the Hebrew-speaking section in Azerbaijani middle school. I am a religious person and have never encountered any challenges regarding my beliefs in Azerbaijan," he said. Simantov said that despite the attempts of external influence, all the necessary environmental conditions have been created in Azerbaijan for the free practice of not only Judaism but all religions. "We have always celebrated all our religious holidays in Azerbaijan without an y obstacles, freely walk with the Torah in our hands in the streets," the rabbi said. There are allocations for synagogues, churches, and mosques in Azerbaijan every year, he emphasized. "There are two synagogues in Oguz, five in Guba, and three in Baku. All of them are allocated funds. In addition, the state ensures their protection," he added. Source: TREND News Agency

Armenia declares its readiness to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan, Trend reports. When, where, and under what conditions will this document be signed? The resolution of "neither war nor peace" situation between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the beginning of normalization of interstate relations, restoration of ties and communications, opening of new routes - all these processes depend on the outcome of the final peace agreement. The document can be signed soon, unless there are new provocations from foreign states, especially France, and serious destructive pressure on Yerevan. Most obstacles in the signing process of the peace agreement have been removed, and solutions to some problems have been found. Now everything depends on the political will of the Armenian leadership. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has not changed his previous rhetoric. He does not consider it effective to sign a peace agreement without international guarantees. Pashinyan believes that the guarantors of the document he will sign with Baku must be either the US, France, or the European Union. Although such a guarantee is unnecessary. The peace agreement to be signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia is essentially a framework document confirming the readiness of the parties to build further relations within the framework of international law. There is no need for guarantees from the US, the European Union, France, or Russia for a document that emphasizes that relations will be based on fundamental principles and basic norms of international law. After signing the agreement by Baku and Yerevan, as well as completing the corresponding ratification procedures in the parliaments of both countries, the document is registered and approved at the UN. The peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia can be signed by the foreign ministers. Baku considers the most effective option to be coordinating the treaty directly with Yerevan through bilateral negotiations and discussions, followed by signing it in Tbilisi. Since the politica l elites of Armenia, not interested in strengthening Georgia in the region geopolitically, and at the same time not daring to violate the diplomatic course prescribed by the European Union and France, are likely to reject the Tbilisi option and insist on signing the document in Brussels. Russia does not consider any of these options acceptable. Not by chance, at the end of last year, both the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the country's president Vladimir Putin reminded about the trilateral statement signed on November 10, 2020, emphasizing that this document contributed to the end of the second Karabakh war. By this, Russia signaled to Yerevan that it insists on having the peace agreement signed in Moscow. At the same time, Russia also wants to present the Moscow option as a regional platform, holding consultations with Trkiye and Iran regarding the process of signing the specified document. Armenia is likely to reject Moscow's proposal, as its patrons ask Armenia to sign the document in one of the Western countries. Washington and Brussels are the possible options. Iran's recent activation is evident in attempts to influence processes in the South Caucasus: Tehran is suggested as the place where the final version of the peace agreement between Baku and Yerevan will be approved and signed. For Baku, this option is not desirable since Iran has a negative track record of implementing peacekeeping missions and conducting negotiations under its mediation. Considering that the investigation into the bloody terrorist attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran hasn't been completed, and the embassy has not resumed its activities, Iran's proposal is not suitable for Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Armenia plans to sign an agreement with Trkiye on opening the borders, restoring transportation communications, reestablishing diplomatic relations, etc. Thus, Istanbul or Ankara are also among the potential places where the peace agreement between Baku and Yerevan can be signed. The likelihood of signing the agreement in Istanbul increases against the background of reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin will make an official visit to Trkiye this year. However, it's clear that the European Union won't consider the Istanbul option acceptable, and France, with strong and uncompromising protests, will exert pressure on Armenia. Since Armenia does not conduct an independent diplomatic course, Pashinyan's government will have to take into account the demands of its patrons who support, finance, and arm its army, as well as states that fuel Armenian revanchism. However, Pashinyan understands that full compliance with the demands of patrons may get Armenia involved in a new war, putting an end to Armenian statehood. Yerevan's harsh messages to the former leader of the Armenian separatists in Azerbaijan's Karabakh, Samvel Shahramanyan, who fled to Armenia, are connected precisely with this. Acting under the dictate and scenario of external forces, Shahramanyan was preparing to announce that the document on the dissolution of all structures of the separatist junta from January 1, 2024, "has no legal force and legitimacy". However, Pashinyan and his team understand that the activities of separatist structures in the country, such as Armenian residents of Karabakh who voluntarily moved from Azerbaijan to Armenia, including puppet structures called the "government and parliament in exile", will be considered a direct threat to the territorial integrity, border immunity, and sovereignty of Azerbaijan. In this case, Baku would be forced to take necessary, adequate steps within the basic principles of international law, and Armenians don't believe that these steps will limit with political statements. Baku is patient, but Armenia should not forget how Azerbaijan prevents threats to itself and its citizens when its patience runs out. Yerevan is now facing a choice. If the choice is made incorrectly, the result could be very disappointing. Source: TREND News Agency

The deadline for designating respective spots for placement of election campaign materials on boards in the territory of polling stations expires tomorrow, as stated in the calendar of the main actions and measures for the preparation and holding of the extraordinary presidential election in the Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports. According to the plan, the spots should be created by the local executive body and municipal institutions no later than 30 days before the voting day (until January 8, 2024) on the proposal of the District Election Commission. The Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan (CEC) on Dec. 19 approved the candidacy of Ilham Aliyev, nominated by the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), for participation in the extraordinary presidential election. Later, at the CEC session held on December 21, the commission approved the self-nominated candidates of Zahid Oruj and Fuad Aliyev, Fazil Mustafa of the Great Order Party, Elshad Musayev of the Great Azerbaijan Party, Gudrat Hasanguliyev of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party and Razi Nurullayev of the National Front Party to become candidates for the upcoming election. On Dec. 26, self-nominated Sarvan Karimov, Matlab Mutallimli, Abutalib Samedov, Fikrat Yusifov, Yusif Baghirzadeh, Arzuman Abdulkarimov, Yunus Oguz and Gulamhuseyn Alibeyli have been approved by the CEC to put up their candidacies for the presidential election. Also, on December 30, the CEC approved the self-nominated Namizad Safarov to put up his candidacy for the election. Early presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024. The corresponding decree was signed by President Ilham Aliyev. Source: TREND News Agency