The Election Headquarters of the Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan (ACSDA) expands its activity in regions on the eve of the presidential elections. The delegation headed by Maharram Zulfugarli, the head of the Election Headquarters, plans to hold meetings related to the preparations for the forthcoming elections in all the regional offices during July.
Members of the Headquarters held meetings in the regional offices of the Association in Khachnaz, Guba, Goychay, Mingachevir and Ganja, Shamakhi, Ismayilli and Shaki on 12-23 July, 2008. The participants of the meetings got information about the latest changes to the Election Code, proposals of Venice Commission, measures taken in regions related to the monitoring of the elections. Besides, the regional offices of the ACSDA were given several instructions and tasks related to the monitoring of the elections.

Georgians living in Azerbaijan’s Gakh Region died during military operations in Georgia-Ossetia conflict zone, representatives of Georgians living in Gakh-ingiloy village of Gakh Region told APA Shaki-Zagatala bureau.
To them, several local residents joined Georgians returning from Gakh-ingiloy village to Georgia after declaring mobilization in the country. There are contradictious reports on Georgians, who are Azerbaijani citizens. Casualties are reported. Gakh-ingiloy executive representation told APA Shaki-Zagatala bureau that Tamazashvili Illarion Giviyevich was wounded during fighting in Ossetia.

The military operations launched by Russia against Georgia are a part of official Moscow’s policy pursued for many years, military expert, reserve Colonel Ildirim Mammadov told APA commenting on the developments in Georgia.
He said Georgian army had high-level combat readiness and mentioned losses of Russian army.
“Before the operations Russia had deployed 350,000 servicemen in the North Caucasus - Georgia and Azerbaijan. The scenario of the military operations in the Caucasus has been reviewed in Caucasus-2008 trainings recently. I think that Russians will have no military achievement in Georgia. Georgian armed forces hold one of the first placed in CIS for its combat readiness. According to the latest reports, about 150 Russian servicemen were killed, hundreds of soldiers were wounded, military supplies were destroyed,” he said.

Azerbaijan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has today held the next meeting, APA reports.
The candidacies of chairman of United Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Gudrat Hasanguliyev, chairman of Modern Musavat Party Hafiz Hajiyev, chairman of Azerbaijan Liberal Democratic Party Fuad Aliyev, Mayis Gulaliyev from “Green Policy” Voters’ Initiative Group and Gudrat Isagov have been confirmed.
Deputy chairman of New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), executive secretary Ali Ahmadov, deputies executive secretary Siyavush Novruzov and Mubariz Gurbanli were confirmed as responsible representatives of presidential candidate Ilham Aliyev.

“Russia used ‘disproportionate’ force in Georgia-Ossetia conflict zone”, NATO Spokeswoman Carmen Romero released the statement on behalf of Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. APA reports quoting the international news agencies that Scheffer criticized Russia for violating the territorial integrity of Georgia and urged the warring sides to observe an immediate cease-fire in South Ossetia.
This is the first official statement of NATO Secretary General after the war broke out in South Ossetia. The alliance has not called an emergency meeting in connection with the current developments.

Rauf Arifoglu, the editor-in-chief of Yeni Musavat newspaper and a member of the Azerbaijani opposition Musavat Party, intends to leave the party.
“Isa Gambar will leave the leadership of the party in 2010 and the party’s Charter rules out his next chairmanship. It is impossible for me to stay in the party which will be led by another person,” Arifoglu said to Trend News on 11 August.
Arifoglu was dissatisfied with Musavat’s decision not to participate in the presidential elections. Although earlier Arifoglu intended to nominate himself for the elections, he made a final statement last week on his refusal to run for presidency.

According to the information by Nariman Huseynov delivered to Trend News, chairman of the Shamkir regional organization of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), all 165 members of the regional organization of PFPA have resigned, and would continue their political activity in the Political Way of Azerbaijan movement.
Statement’s authors said that the wrong policy of the party leaders caused beginning from 2000 thousands of members have left the party and lost its support amongst population. PFPA leader like many other opposition parties satisfies his cooperative interest rather than to collect its unsatisfied electorates.
Members of the Shamakha regional organization of PFPA explained their transition to the Political Way of Azerbaijan with the organization tries to form a new opposition centre.

The opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) officially nominated Gulamhuseyn Alibayli, former chairman of party’s Supreme Assembly, for country’s presidential post. “I have made the final decision on participation in the presidential elections. I will submit my documents to the Central Elections Commission (CEC) on 11 August,” Alibayli said to Trend news on 11 August.
PFPA, which represents the opposition, is a member and co-founder of the Azadlig political bloc. Abulfaz Elchibey, the late Azerbaijani ex-president, was the chairman of the party till 2000. Ali Karimli, a former MP and secretary of state, has been chairing the PFPA since 2000.

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has simplified visa regime from Georgia to Azerbaijan, Khazar Ibrahim, the representative of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in the news- conference on 11 August.
According to the representative, hundreds of foreigners came to Azerbaijan from Georgia for recent 2 – 3 days.
Azerbaijani Ministry takes this step due to the military actions on the territory of unrecognized South Ossetia.
Ibrahim said that the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia works in its usual regime.

Georgia calls upon Azerbaijan to support it during its difficult minutes and require Russia to stop military actions, the Ambassador of Georgia in Azerbaijan Nikoloz Natbiladze briefed the media during press conference on 9 August.
“Currently bombing Georgian cities continues. Russia violates international law. The cities, which sustain bombing, are located out of the conflict zone,” Ambassador said.
According to Natbiladze, Russian media spreads disinformation that as though the President of Georgia is in preinfarction angina, and intends to leave for Turkey. Saakashvili is in healthy state and is not going to leave the Country,” Ambassador said.
According to him, Tskhinvali, except the village of Java, is controlled by Georgia.

Police did not allow the Georgians living in Azerbaijan to hold a demonstration, which had not been authorized by the Baku Administration, in front of the Russian Embassy in Baku on 11 August.
A Trend News correspondent reported from the scene of the events that the demonstrators were hoisting ‘Stop Russia’ slogans.
About 20 members of the youth organization of Azerbaijan’s opposition Musavat party also attempted to hold a protest demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy. They were dispersed by the police as well, while the chairman of the youth organization Tural Abbasli was detained.