Azerbaijan's president to run for third term

Incumbent Heydar Aliyev, who has been in office since 2003, to face off against 73-year-old screenwriter

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — The ruling party of Azerbaijan has nominated incumbent President Ilham Aliyev to run for a third term in October.

His main opponent will be Rustam Ibrahimbekov, a 73-year-old screenwriter who has worked on some of the most popular films of the Soviet Union and Russia.

Both candidates were chosen Friday at their respective party congresses.

The 51-year-old Aliyev has been president of the authoritarian, oil-rich Caspian Sea nation since taking over from his ailing father Heydar in October 2003. After he was reelected in 2008, the constitution was amended to abolish term limits for the presidency.

Aliyev is expected to win the Oct. 16 election. No election in Azerbaijan has been deemed free and fair by independent international monitors.