阿塞拜疆總統選舉之研析

An Analysis of the Azerbaijan Presidential Election of 1998

阿里耶夫憑著過去五年的政績和對未來的施政目標，在一九九八年十月的總統大選中，再度當選為阿塞拜彊國家元首，並也是獨立國家國協所有成員國領袖中年齡最大的一位。他在過去雖有不少地方被批評為獨裁，但他也在學習西方的民主課程。同時，他也不斷和各個工業大國進行「能源外交」，藉著豐石油蘊藏，其所得的外匯，來逐漸地讓國脫離窮困的行列。其中確有不少為人詬病之處，可是大多數的選民依然信任他的所言所行是有利於全體國民，並會為國家帶來光明的前途。

Based on his political achievements and future blueprint for the nation, Heydar Alirza oglu Aliyev was re-elected in October 1998 for another five-year term as the President of Azerbaijan. He is still trying to learn the necessary fundamentals of Western democracy, though many of his measures have been criticized as dictatorial. In the meantime, Aliyev is continuing to promote his controversial 'Energy Diplomacy' with the advanced industrial countries in and effort to pull his country gradually out of poverty through the earnings of foreign exchange brought by a rich petroleum reserve. Despite this criticism, the voters nevertheless trust him and believe Aliyev's actions are beneficial and will bring the country a bright future.