[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 188 (Thursday, December 8, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE FOR THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

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                        HON. KATHLEEN C. HOCHUL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 8, 2011

  Ms. HOCHUL. Mr. Speaker, even though we are approaching the 
conclusion of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we still live in a 
dangerous world. But if we look back over the past two decades we can 
see that considerable progress has been made.
  In 1991 the Soviet Union disintegrated, according to our late, great 
Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a victim of ethnic tensions among the 
various and diverse republics that made up the USSR. Two decades later, 
much change has taken place in the former Soviet Union. Independent 
democracies have begun to emerge where once there were just brutal 
dictatorships. The Cold War is now over and we no longer have the same 
types of demands on our defense infrastructure prevalent of that era.
  There is one former Soviet Republic that I would like to single out 
today and congratulate on the 20th anniversary of its independence, the 
Republic of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has been a good friend of the United 
States, cooperating with us on the war on terror and the program to 
prevent former Soviet nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong 
hands. Azerbaijan has also provided important logistical support to our 
forces in Afghanistan and sent over 150 soldiers to assist us in our 
efforts in that country.
  As a secular Shiite Muslim country, Azerbaijan has been a role model. 
Before Azerbaijan was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1918, after 
the Russian Revolution, the country enjoyed a brief period of 
independence, and was the very first Muslim country to grant women the 
right to vote in 1918, two years before the United States did so with 
the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
  Azerbaijan has also enjoyed strong relations with Israel and the over 
12,000 Azeri Jews are treated as full members of that society. Unlike 
most Muslim countries, Azerbaijan has full diplomatic relations with 
Israel and has hosted Israeli President Shimon Peres on a state visit 
in 2009. Israel is also Azerbaijan's 5th largest trading partner, and 
Azerbaijan provides over one-sixth of Israel's oil supply. As a result 
of these strong relations, when almost 600 Israeli citizens were 
stranded in Georgia at the beginning of the Russian invasion of that 
country and the Tbilisi Airport closed, Azerbaijan sent buses to the 
Georgian border to help evacuate the Israelis.
  Mr. Speaker, today I would like to concur with President Obama's 
statement on October 20, 2011 that ``This 20th anniversary of 
independence, and Azerbaijan's achievements during this time, 
demonstrate the extraordinary promise and determination of the Azeri 
people. The United States is committed to developing greater 
opportunities to work with the Government and people of Azerbaijan.''

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