Aliyev tipped

First Edition

ANKARA, Oct 1 (Reuter) - Turkey has signalled support for Haydar Aliyev, tipped to sweep Azerbaijan's presidential poll on Sunday and seen as a stable force in a land torn by war and crisis. Ankara, which stood by as Aliyev, a communist, emerged victorious from a power struggle in Baku, has moved quietly away from the ousted elected president Abulfaz Elchibey.

"Aliyev is capable of bringing stability to Azerbaijan and first finding an honourable end to the war with Armenia to relieve the pressure on the government," said a senior Turkish foreign ministry official, who asked not to be named. "We shall of course back Aliyev in these efforts because we know that he has the support of the majority of his people."