Friday, October 03, 2003

DEMOCRACY UPDATE

President's son to take over in Baku.

"The ailing president of Azerbaijan, Haydar Aliyev, announced yesterday that he would be withdrawing from this month's elections in favour of his son, Ilham."

But, that's okay because Azerbaijan as an oil state is supposed to be one of our friends. So long as the Aliyev dynasty make it nice and easy for our oil companies to go in there, extract the oil, pay kickbacks, pollute the air, sea and land then that's ok with us. Only dictators with oil who do not dance to our tune (i.e. Messrs Saddam and that religious bloke with robes next door) are ripe for regime change.

"Ilham Aliyev, 41, a former vice-president of the state oil company, said in an interview in August that he was committed to democratic reform (sic)."

Ditto

:: Posted by pete @ 12:37