Azerbaijani Parliament Elects Speaker

(RFE/RL) 2 December 2005 -- Lawmakers elected in Azerbaijani disputed 6 November general election held their first parliamentary session.

Opening the session, President Ilham Aliyev said the newly elected deputies had won in what he described as an "open and fair race."

According to official results, the pro-presidential ruling Yeni Azerbaycan party won 56 out of 125 seats in the new parliament. Ten seats remain unfilled after results were cancelled due to complaints of irregularities.

The nine deputies from the opposition elected in the poll did not attend the opening session.

The lawmakers elected Oqtay Asadov from the Yeni Azerbaycan party as parliament's new speaker. He told the session the new parliament "will support the course laid out by the president."

(Turan/day.az)