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By the overwhelming majority of votes the history professor Jamil Hasanli was elected a common backup candidate for president by the National Council of Democratic Forces of Azerbaijan (NCJA), Azerbaijani news agency "Turan" reported.

According to the report, in his speech, Jamil Hasanli thanked for the confidence towards him and stated: "We all will take the path of Mamed Emin Rasulzade and Elchibey." This slogan was received thunderous applauses.

The agency notes that before this, at the meeting of National Council the letter of Rustam Ibragimbekov a single opposition candidate and screenwriter was read out. As Ibrahimbekov currently has problems in registering as a presidential candidate because of his Russian citizenship, he proposed to elect the single backup candidate Jamil Hasanli.

"Turan" also reports that immediately after the NCJA session the meeting of the initiative group of voters on the official nomination of Jamil Hasanli and presentation of his documents to the CEC began.

Before the vote, Hasanli signed the same memorandum about the obligations that had previously signed Rustam Ibrahimbekov. In particular, he has pledged, to remain in office no more than 2 years if elected president.

During this time, a transition government of national confidence in the human resources of the NCJA should be formed. Media will be exempt from censorship, obstacles for establishment of private TV and radio stations will be eliminated, dissolution of parliament and election of a new one will be held, etc.

As part of the constitutional reform governmental branches should be at a balance, reform of the public administration system should be applied, government based on the results of the parliamentary elections under a mixed proportional-majoritarian system should be formed, powers of local self-government should be expanded, city council and elections of heads of executive authorities should be implemented, etc.

Hasanli is also pledged to withdraw his candidacy in case of approval and registration of Ibrahimbekov’s candidacy.

Agency reminds that the 61-year-old Jamil Hasanli is Professor of the America’s and Europe department at the Baku State University. In 2000 and in 2005 he was elected a member of parliament of Azerbaijan. In 2009 he became a founding member of the Forum of Azerbaijani Intelligentsia.

On August 12, the candidacy of opposition leader Rustam Ibrahimbekov was officially proposed at the meeting of Azerbaijani Opposition National Council. Earlier, on July 30 National Council of Azerbaijan held a meeting in Tbilisi on which the return of its leader, presidential candidate Ibrahimbekov to Baku was discussed. Earlier, Azerbaijani media reported that Ibrahimbekov will be arrested on his return to Azerbaijan. At the meeting it was decided to postpone the return of the opposition leader and to appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to give a speedy solution to the question of citizenship of Ibrahimbekov.

Rustam Ibrahimbekov refused Russian citizenship in order to be a candidate in the presidential elections in Azerbaijan. The CEC of Azerbaijan has already approved the candidacy of President Ilham Aliyev, who is going for a third term. Presidential elections in Azerbaijan are scheduled for the 9th of October.