[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 137 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 137

   Expressing the sense of Congress that the Azeri people, currently 
      divided between Azerbaijan and Iran, have the right to self-
  determination and to their own sovereign country if they so choose.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 12, 2012

 Mr. Rohrabacher submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 
            was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of Congress that the Azeri people, currently 
      divided between Azerbaijan and Iran, have the right to self-
  determination and to their own sovereign country if they so choose.

Whereas the Azeri people have maintained a proud and distinctive national, 
        cultural, and religious identity dating back to ancient times;
Whereas in Iran, the provinces inhabited mainly by ethnic Azeris are called East 
        and West Azerbaijan by the government in Tehran, thus giving credibility 
        to the claim that the homeland of the Azeri is divided;
Whereas the Azeri homeland was split between Russia and Persia by the Treaty of 
        Turkmenchay in 1828, without the consent of the Azeris;
Whereas the Azeris gained partial liberation when the Republic of Azerbaijan 
        gained its independence in 1991 during the collapse of the Soviet Union; 
        and
Whereas it is the policy of the United States to oppose aggression and the 
        violation of human rights inherent in the subjugation of national groups 
        like the Azeris in Iran: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the Azeri people, currently 
divided between Azerbaijan and Iran, have the right to self-
determination and they should be afforded the opportunity to choose 
their own status among the community of nations, living in peace and 
harmony, without external coercion.
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