David Merkel: "We hope that these elections in Azerbaijan will be better than previous ones"

- Do you believe that upcoming elections in Azerbaijan will be free and transparent?

- The elections are scheduled for October and it is difficult to predict in May what will happen within several months. At the same time Azerbaijan has taken enough commitments before international organizations, which try to help the country make the elections the most perfect in the history of the country.

- Do you consider it possible taking into account the negative assessment of the pre-election situation of Azerbaijan, made by the Department of State in its recent report on the state of human rights in the world?

- Regarding Azerbaijan, we voiced hope that the upcoming presidential elections would be better than the previous ones.

We expect the elections to be held normally and we hope for cooperation with the Azerbaijani government, candidates, intergovernmental organizations and Central Electoral Commission to make the pre-election situation maximally positive. I think we will be able to attain it if we join efforts.

We expect Azerbaijan to invite OSCE representatives to observe the elections. The elections are scheduled for October and huge work is to be done by that time.

- How will the United State react if elections are held with mass violations?

-It is May now and as I have already mentioned much is left to be done through the period until October. We maintain good relations of Azerbaijan and we want to cooperate with it for voting results to reflect people's will. I think it would be good now to focus on October. But I would not want to speak in advance in an answer to your question.

- Are the United States, being the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, planning to intensify efforts for the soonest resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?

- The United States work with the conflict parties for the resolution of the  Karabakh conflict and we are loyal to its peaceful settlement.

/Day.Az/