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Opposition parties split over constitutional changes

09 January 2009 15:37 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Elnur Mammadli â€“APA. Azerbaijani opposition parties, non-governmental organizations and human rights defenders, protesting the constitutional changes, hold a meeting on Friday to develop united position. AXCP chairman Ali Karimli proposed to put aside discords and to establish anti-referendum coalition. He underlined the importance of united agitation group as a legal entity.
ADP chairman Sardar Jalaloglu, chairman of Umid Party Igbal Agazadeh, chairwoman of the Institute of Peace and Democracy Leila Yunus said that time was drawing on and proposed to accelerate establishing of the united agitation group entitled â€œKarabakhâ€.
Musavat leader Isa Gambar was against the united agitation group. He said number of agitation groups would give larger opportunities and they could establish coalition of these groups.

Chairperson of National Unity Movement Lala Shovkat, president of Public Forum for Azerbaijan Eldar Namazov, chairman of Reserve and Retired Officers Union Yashar Jafarli, lawyer Ennagi Hajibayli objected to the formation of separate promotion groups. Decision was made to continue the discussions without participation of media.

No agreement was reached on establishing a unique promotion group during the three-hour discussions. Leyla Yunus said after the closed meeting that decision had been passed to set up Civil Movement for Karabakh and Democratic Republic.

Leyla Yunus said the discussions on promotion groups would continue by January 13 and the number of the movementâ€™s promotion groups would depend on the resources.
The movement includes political parties, lawyers, representatives of NGOs and media attending the meeting.

Leyla Yunus will chair the Coordination Council of the Civil Movement.