Azerbaijani opposition parties unite behind government

Natig Jafarli, a high ranking member of the Republican Alternative (ReAL) Party, confirmed to the Turan news agency that the party took part in the meeting. A document depicting a common position on Nagorno-Karabakh and the liberation of the occupied territories had been adopted, Jafarli added.

“The document states that the government and oppositional parties have the same position in the political arena up until the territories are liberated. In fact, it is impossible to take a different position on this issue,” Jafarli was quoted as saying by Turan.

Party chair Ilgar Mammadov’s proposal was that the information war is also important during clashes. Therefore, foreign agencies and human rights organizations, which in recent years have not been allowed to operate in Azerbaijan since 2013, after which the government-led savage crackdown on press and opposition started, must be returned to the country, and the policy regarding them must change, Jafarli added.

According to Jafarli, it is important that the international agencies can report on civilians affected by strikes by Armenian forces.

The main opposition Azerbaijan People’s Front Party (AXCP) was the only party that was not invited to the government-sponsored event.

Nevertheless, the party extends it solidarity to the government.

“As Azerbaijan, we are united as one, like a fist. The Azerbaijani government, opposition, civil society, all the people living in our country, together with the diaspora, are one,” Ali Karimli, the party chair said in his social media post on 5 October, adding that Azerbaijanis living all over the world must be active in the information war.

“We have no right to lose the victory, that our soldier is gaining at the risk of his live, in the war of diplomacy and information. We are right and we must win, and we will win. Victory belongs to Azerbaijan!”