U.S. concurs with monitors on Azerbaijan re-run elections

The United States welcomes the improvements noted by international monitors in Azerbaijan's May 13th parliamentary re-run elections but remains concerned about the irregularities cited in the pre-election period.

"We urge the Government of Azerbaijan to continue to work with ODIHR [Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, an agency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)] and to implement its recommendations so that the electoral process in Azerbaijan can meet fully international standards," a U.S. diplomat told Europe's largest security and human-rights organization May 18.

The OSCE monitored Azerbaijan's November 6, 2005, parliamentary elections, assessing them as an improvement over previous ones, but still well short of meeting international standards.

The United States urged the government of Azerbaijan to undertake immediate investigations into charges of irregularities and fraud consistent with Azerbaijan's laws, institutions and election legislation.

“The United States supports strongly the strengthening of democratic institutions and civil society in Azerbaijan, including efforts to improve the electoral process,” Ambassador Julie Finley told the OSCE in May 18 remarks on the re-run elections, which saw new campaigns and balloting in 10 parliamentary constituencies.

She noted the United States provided “substantial assistance to Azerbaijan throughout the campaign and during the elections themselves” with the aim of helping the former Soviet Republic overcome the shortcomings observed during the November 2005 elections.

"We supported the democratic process, not particular parties or candidates," she said.

"Our efforts included supporting domestic election observation and training, the facilitation of an exit poll, and providing invisible finger-ink. We also deployed United States Embassy teams as accredited international observers to observe the conduct of the elections," she said.

The United States concurs with the election observation mission's conclusions, Finley said. The mission cited a need for "ongoing electoral reform" and said OSCE/ODIHR stands ready to assist.

Finley welcomed the improvements in the implementation of finger-inking, as well as the rapid posting of the results on the Web site of the Central Election Commission. She said the United States especially was pleased that a large number of domestic election observers participated in the election process, since local involvement of citizens is integral to democratic processes.

She also noted that there was consistency between official and exit-poll results.

"However, we remain concerned about reports of irregularities in the pre-election period, including the misuse of administrative authority in support of specific candidates, as well as about legal violations and fraud in specific precincts on election day itself," she added.

"These re-run elections should be viewed in the overall context of the November 6th, 2005 parliamentary elections," Finley said, adding: "We continue to share the comprehensive assessment of ODIHR on that process."

The mission for the November 2005 elections concluded that the shortcomings outweighed such improvements as free airtime on the state-funded media; corrections to the electoral framework; regulations to enhance the integrity of voting; a voter education campaign; some warnings issued to candidates or officials for violating the law; distribution of new identification documents to most of the population; the reinstatement of a candidate who was wrongfully denied registration; and the elimination of a ban prohibiting domestic nongovernmental organizations that receive more than 30 percent foreign state funding from observing elections.

"The United States will continue to support the aspirations of the government and people of Azerbaijan to build a democratic, prosperous and peaceful future," the U.S. representative to the OSCE concluded.

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