Abulfaz Elchibey
President of Azerbaijan from 1992 to 1993 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Abulfaz Gadirgulu oghlu Aliyev (Azerbaijani: Əbülfəz Qədirqulu oğlu Əliyev; 24 June 1938 – 22 August 2000), better known as Abulfaz Elchibey (Azerbaijani: Əbülfəz Elçibəy),[1] was an Azerbaijani politician, Azerbaijani nationalist and Soviet dissident who was the first and only democratically elected President in post-Soviet Azerbaijan. He was the leader of the Azerbaijani Popular Front and played an important role in achieving Azerbaijan's independence from the Soviet Union.
Abulfaz Elchibey | |
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Əbülfəz Elçibəy | |
2nd President of Azerbaijan | |
In office 17 June 1992 – 24 June 1993 | |
Prime Minister | Rahim Huseynov Ali Masimov (acting) Panah Huseynov |
Preceded by | Ayaz Mutallibov Isa Gambar (acting) |
Succeeded by | Heydar Aliyev |
Personal details | |
Born | Abulfaz Gadirgulu oghlu Aliyev (1938-06-24)24 June 1938 Kalaki, Ordubad District, Nakhichivan ASSR, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR |
Died | 22 August 2000(2000-08-22) (aged 62) Ankara, Turkey |
Political party | Azerbaijan Popular Front |
Spouse | Halima Aliyeva |
Children | 2 |
Signature | |
Elchibey was elected as the president of Azerbaijan in independent Azerbaijan's first free election. He served from 17 June 1992 until his overthrow in a 24 June 1993 military coup backed by Russia that led to the installation of Heydar Aliyev as president.[2][3] Elchibey's brief rule was the only post-Soviet period in which Azerbaijan has been democratic.[2] During his rule, Elchibey sought to dismantle the old communist system domestically, such as the planned economy and the black market.[2] In his foreign policy, he sought to re-orient Azerbaijan to the West.[2] However, Elchibey's attempted reforms were put to a halt by the 1993 coup.[2]
According to historian Audrey Altstadt, Elchibey faced several major problems during his tenure as president: "the war in Nagorno-Karabagh (with loss of land and creation of refugees), inflation and related economic problems (including slow progress on an oil deal with foreign investors), and the remnants of Russian-Soviet control and influence of the old order. The most immediately pressing problem was unrest around Baku."[2] During his tenure, Elchibey had to contend with an administration staffed by former Communists and military forces that were not under his control.[4]
He positioned himself as a pan-Turkist[5] while holding hostile views towards Iran and Russia.[6][7]