Azerbaijani version
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| Isa Yunis Oglu Gambar |
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This man came from the same region as the Aliyev's ruling clan. In defiance of traditional eastern corporationism by a principle of the common birthplace, he is considered probably the harshest and the most dangerous opponent of the ruling regime. He is a historian who has decided to realize the ideals of the Azerbaijan nationalists - Westerners who didn't survive an impact of the red expansion 85 years ago. He is the supporter of the Chechen Republic's independence from Russia, and he is confident that NATO is the only guarantor of security on Caucasus. In the case of a victory of opposition in forthcoming parliamentary elections, this sincere friend of Washington and London has most chances than anybody to head the Azerbaijani government.
Isa Yunis Oglu Gambar was born on February, 24, 1957, in Baku in the family of scientists. His late father Yunis Gemberov and late mother Tahire Zeynalova, were Doctors of Science on Chemistry.
In 1979 Isa Gambar graduated Faculty of History, Baku State University, and for three years – till 1982, he works in the Nakhichevan Research Center. There, in the Azerbaijani enclave between Iran and Armenia, his moderate – nationalist views started to form, influenced by the growing Armenian-Azerbaijani antagonism.
From 1982 till 1990 Isa Gambar was a scientific employee of Azerbaijan's Academy of Sciences Researched at the Institute of Oriental Studies. By the end of the Eighties, on the background of prompt propagation of the ideas of democracy and awakening of national consciousness of Azerbaijani people, he entered the politics. In 1987 Gambar joined the forming Popular Front of Azerbaijan (PFA), and promptly becomes one of its leaders.
The Political Career
In 1990-91 Isa Gambar held the post Deputy Chairman of PFA. After gaining the independence by Azerbaijan in 1990 Gambar was elected to the Parliament of the republic. From 1991 till 1992 he was the Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Foreign relations. From May, 1992 till June, 1993, Gambar was the Chairman of the Parliament of Azerbaijan. For a short period of time, before the Azerbaijan's first elected President after the breakup of the Soviet Union, PFA chairman Abulfaz Elchibey won the elections in July, 1992, Gambar held a post of the acting President of the republic.
In 1992 the activists of the Popular front decide on renewal of activity of the oldest Azerbaijani party - Musavat (Equality), which was forbidden by the Soviet regime in 1920. In November, 1992, on the Congress of Restoration Committee of Musavat, Gambar was elected the chairman (Bashkan) of Musavat. Since that moment he is the permanent leader of this leading opposition party in the republic.
In June, 1993, after military revolt in the result of which Heydar Aliyev came to power, Gambar submitted his resignation from the post of the Chairman of the Parliament. On July, 16, the new authorities arrested him, but soon, under the pressure of the international community, he was released.
In 1999, together with his colleagues from the party Gambar created the Democratic Congress, uniting the largest opposition parties. Up to 2003 he held a post the Chairman of the Democratic Congress. At the presidential elections in October, 2003 he became a candidate from the largest oppositional bloc Bizim Azerbaijan (Our Azerbaijan), which united 24 parties. By the official results of voting the candidate from the party in power Yeni Azerbaycan (New Azerbaijan), the son of Heydar Aliyev, Ilham Aliyev has been declared the winner. According to the data published by the authorities, Aliyev-junior received 79,5 %, and Isa Gambar - 14 % of the votes. At the same time, the international observers doubted the results of the elections. The head of the OSCE group of observers Peter Aiker names this voting "a missed opportunity to carry out truly democratic elections". On the data of the exit-polls, carried out by independent agency Turan and the center of social researches ADAM, actually for Gambar received 46,2 % of the votes, and Ilham Aliyev only 24,1 %.
The attempts of the opposition headed by Musavat to achieve revision of the results of the elections ended with brutal dispersal of demonstrations and massive arrests of their participants. During these collisions three persons were killed, tens suffered severe wounds.
In spring of 2005, before the November elections to parliament, Musavat, headed by Isa Gambar united with two other large opposition parties - the Popular front of Azerbaijan and Democratic Party, creating a bloc Azadliq (Freedom).
The Personal Perspective
Foreign policy orientation: Throughout his political career Isa Gambar was a politician of pro-Western orientation. Following the traditions of Musavat party, he is staking on the English-speaking countries, Britain and the USA, and also on Turkey. During his visits to London, Washington and Ankara Gambar managed to make good contacts with the representatives of local political establishment. Simultaneously, he managed to establish good relations with such important figures in the world politics, as the Czech ex-president of Vaclav Gavel. Representatives of a diplomatic corps of the European states, accredited in Baku, have doubt that in case of a victory in the forthcoming elections, Isa Gambar will assert economical and political interests of the USA and Britain.
As for Russia Gambar, as well as Musavat as a whole, occupies traditionally a hard line position, supporting the idea of national self-determination of peoples of the Northern Caucasus, and in particular supporting the Chechen national movement. In November, 200, in a very acute form he condemned the decision of official Baku to extradite a group of the Chechen refugees to the Russian authorities. Quoting Gambar, he "thinks highly of the struggle of Chechen people for independence."
Gambar is also a supporter of economic and military-political strengthening of the pro-Western regional organization GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova). For many times he named NATO "the reliable guarantor of security and stability in the region."
Internal policy: In the issue of Karabakh the leader of Musavat is the supporter of the peaceful resolving of the conflict within the framework of integration of the Caucasian states into the united pro-Western block. Simultaneously, he is known to be a convinced opponent of "political Islam ".
During the elections of 2003 he proved to be a resolute politician, as he managed to bring out thousands of people to the streets.
Family: He is married, has two sons. The wife of Isa Gambar - Aide Bagirova is a Doctor of History, Professor of the Baku State University.
Related items:
Might-Have-Been Soviet Diplomat Turned into a Caspian Oil Owner (10.09.2005)
AZERBAIJAN - PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (06.11.05)
The personal file of Isa Gambar, which was prepared by the AIA expert Asim Oku, was published on the personal site of this prominent Azerbaijani politician and translated to Azerbaijani language.
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