Azerbaijan president to seek second term

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

BAKU (AFP) — Azerbaijan's ruling party on Saturday nominated President Ilham Aliyev to stand for a second term at October elections in this strategic oil-rich state, the party said.

The elections were immediately denounced as fraudulent by the opposition, which vowed to boycott the vote.

The Yeni Azerbaijan (New Azerbaijan) party unanimously approved the nomination of Aliyev, who exerts a tight grip in this Western-backed mainly Muslim country.

"In case of my election I will defend Azerbaijan's national interests and work to strengthen the state," Aliyev told the party congress, quoted in a statement by the party.

Aliyev, 46, has ruled this Caspian Sea state since October 2003, when he took the place of his deceased father Heydar in a vote marred...