[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 79 (Monday, May 24, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN ON ``REPUBLIC DAY''

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 24, 2010

  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring the Republic of Azerbaijan in celebration of the 92nd 
anniversary of Republic Day on May 28.
  Located in a geopolitically dynamic region between Europe and Asia 
and sandwiched between Russia and Iran, Azerbaijan is a secular county 
with a predominantly Muslim population that has also been home for more 
than a millennia for vibrant Christian and Jewish communities.
  Azerbaijan first gained independence in 1918, which led to an 
explosion of the arts, education, and economic growth. That 
independence was suspended in 1920 by Soviet invasion, not to be 
restored until 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union.
  Azerbaijan has opened Caspian energy resources to development by U.S. 
companies and has emerged as a key player for global energy security. 
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project, supported by both the Clinton 
and George W. Bush administrations, is the most successful project 
contributing to the development of the South Caucasus region and has 
become the main artery delivering Caspian Sea hydrocarbons to the 
United States and our partners in Europe. Notably, in 2009 Azerbaijan 
provided nearly one-quarter of all crude oil supplies to Israel and is 
considered a leading potential natural gas provider for the U.S. 
supported Nabucco pipeline.
  On the security front, immediately after 9/11 Azerbaijan was among 
the first to offer strong support and assistance to the United States. 
Azerbaijan participated in operations in Kosovo and Iraq and is 
actively engaged in Afghanistan, having recently doubled its military 
presence there. Azerbaijan has extended important over-flight 
clearances for U.S. and NATO flights to support ISAF and has regularly 
provided landing and refueling operations at its airports for U.S. and 
NATO forces. Also, Azerbaijan plays an important role in the Northern 
Distribution Network, a supply route to Afghanistan by making available 
its ground and Caspian naval transportation facilities.
  Additionally, Azerbaijan provides specialized training for Afghan 
police, border guard officers and de-miners, education and training of 
Afghan civilian and military medical doctors, and medical treatment of 
Afghan citizens at Azeri hospitals. Azerbaijan has provided medical 
equipment and supplies to Afghanistan as well as assisting in the 
construction of schools and hospitals there.
  Azerbaijan remains a reliable partner of NATO and the EU in the South 
Caucasus through its consistent and effective contribution to common 
goals and objectives. Azerbaijan is also an active partner of the 
United States in efforts regarding the nonproliferation of weapons of 
mass destruction through its participation in programs such as Caspian 
Guard and Cooperative Threat Reduction.
  Against this backdrop, Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act of 
1992, which prohibits direct U.S. government assistance to Azerbaijan, 
remains a serious obstacle to expanding the strategic partnership 
between our two countries and is contrary to U.S. national interest in 
the region. Furthermore, the absence of a U.S. Ambassador to Baku since 
July 2009 creates unnecessary uncertainties. Finally, as one of the 
cochairs of the OSCE Minsk Group charged with resolving the Armenia-
Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the United States must engage 
more actively in mediation efforts, as is the case with Moscow and 
Paris.
  Regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, I applaud 
the European Parliament for adopting a resolution on May 20, 2010 
urging the EU to pursue a strategy in the South Caucasus to promote 
stability, prosperity, and conflict resolution and demanding ``the 
withdrawal of Armenian forces from all occupied territories of 
Azerbaijan, accompanied by deployment of international forces to be 
organized with respect of the UN Charter in order to provide the 
necessary security guarantees in a period of transition, which will 
ensure the security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh and allow the 
displaced persons to return to their homes and further conflicts caused 
by homelessness to be prevented.''
  Again, as the Cochairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, it 
is my distinct pleasure to honor the Republic of Azerbaijan in 
celebration of the 92th anniversary of Republic Day and to recognize 
the valuable bilateral relationship between the United States and 
Azerbaijan. I also encourage my colleagues who are interested in 
supporting Azerbaijan to join me as a member of the Congressional 
Azerbaijan Caucus.

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