Head of the OSCE observation mission, Ambassador Boris Frlec met with former candidates Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Fazil Gazanfaroglu and Igbal Agazadeh. Hasanguliyev told APA they had discussed the results of the presidential elections, voting and accounting processes. The OSCE representative took interest in the post-election activity of the opposition parties participated in the elections.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations made the following statement, following the Presidential elections in Azerbaijan on 15 October, APA reports.
“I welcome the considerable progress noted by OSCE in the conduct of the Presidential elections on 15 October. I am encouraged by the efforts to create more equitable legal conditions for opposition candidates, and the amendments to the Electoral Code.

“Azerbaijan is a standing and valuable partner of NATO and we look forward to continuing and strengthening our dialogue and practical cooperation, and our support to reforms,” said the statement by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on the presidential election in Azerbaijan.
NATO approves reports of international observers from OSCE, Council of Europe and European Parliament on the results of presidential election in Azerbaijan which indicate progress in conduct of the election.

On 19 October, the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan announced the final returns of the presidential election held October 15.
Returns of vote at eight polling stations were annulled, said CEC Chairman Mazahir Panahov.
Chairman of ruling New Azerbaijan Party, current State Head Ilham Aliyev gained 88.73% of votes.
Igbal Agazade gained 2.86%, Fazil Gazanfaroglu - 2.47%, Gudrat Hasanguliyev – 2.28%, Gulamhuseyn Alibayli – 2.23%, Fuad Aliyev – 0.78% and Hafiz Hajiyev – 0.65%.

Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan (ACSDA) held observation in 5148 stations of the Republic in connection with the presidential elections of 2008. Starting from July ACSDA Election Headquarters held trainings for observers in all regions of the country and also in 11 districts of Baku city. Materials printed by Election Headquarters and necessary for use on election day were presented to the observers at the trainings.

Union for Democracy founded by Azerbaijan’s opposition parties is not expected to turn into an election bloc in future.
“The enlargement of the Union is of great importance and we discuss this issue. But the Union will not become a bloc,” Mirmahmud Miralioglu, chairman of the Classic Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan said to TrendNews.

Adalat (Justice) Party, who did not take part in presidential election with its own candidate, congratulated ruling party candidate Ilham Aliyev on winning election.
Party decided to do so relying on the assessment of election results by over 500 election officers of the party monitoring the vote and party members who took part in the election.

Ayaz Mutallibov, former President of Azerbaijan said he did not oppose passing constitutional bill on Azerbaijan’s independence on 18 October 2008.
“The reports about my opposing independence are not true,” Ayaz Mutallibov, co-chairman of Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (SDPA) said to TrendNews by telephone from Moscow.

The opposition political parties, which boycotted the presidential elections, withdrew from holding the protest action in Baku.
“The protest action, which the Opposition Cooperation Centre was planned to stage in one of the central streets in Baku on 18 October, was postponed,” Ali Aliyev, the Chairman of the Citizen and Development party, which is united in the centre, told Trend News.

Bush administration “congratulates the Azerbaijani people on having presidential election and instituting some improvements in the way this election occurred over previous elections”. US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said that during Daily Press Briefing on Thursday.
“The OSCE is in the process of issuing a number of reports about the election.

About 99.8% of protocols of presidential election in Azerbaijan have been counted. “Central Elections Committee received protocols from 99.8% of 5,359, that is, 5,348 of polling stations,” “Sechkiler” Information Center said to TrendNews.
About 3,640,702 voters took part in the election.
About 3,230,340 of voters voted for ruling New Azerbaijan Party candidate and current President Ilham Aliyev. This makes up 88.73% of voters.

Pro-government Azerbaijan Democratic World Party announced results of observation during presidential election in Azerbaijan.
A total of 3,563 observers from the party monitored the election, Samir Adigozalli, deputy chairman and head of press service of the party said at the press conference held in TrendNews Agency on Friday.