Ilham Aliyev
| Ilham Aliyev Ilham Əliyev |
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President of Azerbaijan
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| Assumed office 31 October 2003 |
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| Prime Minister | Artur Rasizade |
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| Preceded by | Heydar Aliyev |
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Prime Minister of Azerbaijan
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| In office 4 August 2003 – 4 November 2003 |
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| President | Heydar Aliyev |
| Preceded by | Artur Rasizade |
| Succeeded by | Artur Rasizade |
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| Born | 24 December 1961 Baku, Soviet Union (now Azerbaijan) |
| Nationality | Azerbaijani |
| Political party | New Azerbaijan Party |
| Spouse(s) | Mehriban Pashayeva |
| Religion | Shia Islam |
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev (Azerbaijani: İlham Heydər oğlu Əliyev, born 24 December 1961) is the fourth and current President of Azerbaijan. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party.
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Political life
Early career
In May 1994, İlham Aliyev was appointed vice-president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). He participated as one of the key figures during the negotiations between Azerbaijani government and Western oil companies during the conclusion of new contracts now known as Contract of the century. The following year İlham was elected to parliament (Milli Majlis) and later became president of the National Olympic Committee (still incumbent) and head of the Azerbaijan delegation to the Council of Europe. In August 2003, two months prior to the presidential elections, he was appointed prime minister. In October, Heydar Aliyev, suffering failing health, stepped down as president and in a controversial move, appointed his son, an independent candidate, as his party's sole presidential candidate.
2003 presidential elections
The official results of the October 15, 2003, elections gave victory to İlham Aliyev, who earned 76.84% of the votes. However, the domestic opposition refused to accept the results and staged mass protests. The protests were due to alleged corruption and staging of elections.
The elections received harsh criticism from the international community, with many observers noting that they fell short of international standards and were accompanied by voter intimidation, unequal campaign opportunities for the candidates, and widespread violations of the electoral laws and process. The OSCE International Election Observation Mission noted a number of irregularities in the counting and tabulation.[1] Human Rights Watch complained that Aliyev's election campaign had been supported by government resources and that the Central Election Commission and local election commissions had been stacked with its supporters, while local non-governmental organizations had been banned from monitoring the vote.[2]
Presidency
Opposition members and human rights activists complain that during Aliyev's presidency the human rights situation has not improved. Opposition mass meetings remained banned or were allowed to be held in remote parts of Baku, thus aiming at demoralizing and making it difficult for supporters of opposition to reach there, and the government has continued to pressure the opposition and independent press. In March 2005 under continued pressure from the international community, especially the Council of Europe, Aliyev released from prison many prominent members of the opposition, arrested during protests against the way the October 2003 election was conducted.
On March 26, 2005, Aliyev was officially elected as the ruling New Azerbaijan Party chairman. The opposition denounced this as a violation of state laws, because according to the law on political parties, the president should have no party affiliation.
In April 2006, President Aliyev made a state visit to Washington, D.C. It was a remarkably successful trip, at least in terms of image. Speaking at a public forum sponsored by the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations, Aliyev discussed oil, economic development, and democracy with an audience of reporters and others. The visit was capped with a private meeting in the White House with President George W. Bush, who told reporters that their discussion was "really interesting", although he also said the meeting was "candid" - sometimes a code word for "tense". Opposition groups said that an official meeting with President Bush sent an inappropriate signal that the violence and intimidation of the 2005 parliamentary election was now a closed matter.[3]
Family and personal life
He is married to Mehriban Aliyeva and has three children: Leyla, Arzu and Heydar. He also has an older sister, Sevil Aliyeva.
Honors
Controversy
In 2008, Aliyev declared that “Nagorno Karabakh will never be independent; the position is backed by international mediators as well; Armenia has to accept the reality” and that “in 1918, Yerevan was granted to the Armenians. It was a great mistake. The khanate of Iravan was the Azeri territory, the Armenians were guests here."[6]
In popular culture
Aliyev's photo is shown in the final frames of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan implying misleadingly that he is the president of Borat's fictionalised Kazakhstan.[7]
See also
- President of Azerbaijan
- Politics of Azerbaijan
- National Assembly of Azerbaijan
- Foreign relations of Azerbaijan
- List of political parties in Azerbaijan
References
- ↑ OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Report
- ↑ Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper
- ↑ ISN Security Watch - Mr Aliyev goes to Washington
- ↑ Azerbaijani president included in "500 most influential Muslims of world" book
- ↑ Президент Азербайджана вошел в книгу "500 самых влиятельных мусульман мира" (Russian)
- ↑ Azerbaijani president: Armenians are guests in Yerevan, REGNUM News Agency, January 17, 2008
- ↑ Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
External links
- Official Azerbaijan president website
- BBC profile: İlham Aliyev
- BBC Country Profile: Azerbaijan with succinct information on İlham Aliyev
- Forrest, Brett (Nov. 28, 2005). "Over A Barrel in Baku". Fortune, pp. 54–60.
- Karl Rahder, "Mr. Aliyev Goes to Washington," ISN Security Watch, 5 May 2006, http://www.isn.ethz.ch/news/sw/details.cfm?id=15721 accessed May 2007
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Artur Rasizade |
Prime Minister of Azerbaijan 2003 |
Succeeded by Artur Rasizade |
| Preceded by Heydar Aliyev |
President of Azerbaijan 2003 – present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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