[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 29, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PAYING TRIBUTE TO DR. AGSHIN MEHDIYEV, AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT 
   REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 2014

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Agshin 
Mehdiyev, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of 
Azerbaijan to the United Nations since November 30, 2006, who also 
served with distinction on the United Nations Security Council from 
2012 to 2013. While at the United Nations, he also was Azerbaijan's 
non-resident Ambassador to Cuba (since February 2007), Nicaragua (since 
June 2008), Jamaica (since September 2008), and Venezuela (since 
October 2008).
   Ambassador Mehdiyev will shortly conclude his term at the United 
Nations and return to Azerbaijan. His dedication to his diplomatic 
craft and his contributions to the United Nations and to U.S.-
Azerbaijan relations richly deserve to be recognized. In particular, he 
brought leadership and wisdom to his position in the United Nations and 
to the United Nations Security Council during a period of considerable 
turmoil and significant challenges.
   Furthermore, Ambassador Mehdiyev has a long and distinguished record 
of serving his country. He first worked overseas at the USSR Embassies 
in Egypt (from 1971 to 1975) and in Yemen (from 1977 to 1982), and also 
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Azerbaijan SSR in several 
capacities, including as chief of the Ministry's Information and Media 
Office (from 1975 to 1977). He returned to Yemen from 1987 until 1991, 
and from 1991 to 1992 was Azerbaijan's official Representative to the 
Republic of Yemen. Between 1993 and 2001, he was the Director of 
Europe, USA and Canada Department of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs. And prior to his current position at the United Nations, he 
was Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the 
Council of Europe from 2001 to 2006.
   Ambassador Mehdiyev graduated from Azerbaijan State University in 
1971 (from the faculty on oriental studies). Between 1969 and 1970, he 
studied at the Cairo University, and from 1985 to 1987, he studied at 
the Diplomatic Academy of the Foreign Ministry of the former USSR. 
Ambassador Medhiyev holds a PhD degree in the history of international 
relations (1987) and is Honorary Professor of the Baku Eurasian 
University Academic Council since 2007. He also is the author of the 
book, ``Azerbaijan in the Council of Europe,'' published in 2011, as 
well as of many articles and other publications focusing on 
international affairs and political studies.
   For his distinguished career and contributions to Azerbaijan, 
Ambassador Mehdiyev was awarded a medal on the occasion of the ``90th 
anniversary of Azerbaijan's diplomatic service,'' at which time he also 
received the Foreign Ministry's ``Honor Award'' and an order for 
``Service to the Fatherland.'' Ambassador Mehdiyev was born in 1949. He 
and his wife Sevda have three children.
   Mr. Speaker, on March 23, 2014, I attended a farewell reception and 
dinner in New York in honor of Ambassador Mehdiyev and Sevda. The event 
was hosted by my friends Ranju Batra, Chair of the Diwali Stamp Project 
and former president of the Association of Indians in America NY, and 
Ravi Batra, an accomplished attorney who is the Chairman and CEO of 
Greenstar Global Energy Corporation and Chair of the National Advisory 
Council on South Asian Affairs. Their son Neal Batra also was there. 
The gathering also was attended by numerous UN Ambassadors with 
spouses, including by U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative Rosemary 
DiCarlo and the Permanent Representatives from Ukraine, Moldova, 
Romania, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Honduras, South Korea, Finland, Belarus, 
Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, and inter alia, Somalia. 
Also attending were senior members of the UN Secretariat, including 
Won-soo Kim and Ion Botnaru, and members of the judiciary, local 
elected officials, Rabbi Yitzchok Waldman, who is the Director of the 
Laniado Hospital in Israel, Martin and Grace Riskin, and my dear friend 
and colleague Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, in whose district the 
event was held. Numerous other officials and prominent individuals sent 
their greetings and good wishes.
   I mention this not only to thank the Batras for their incredible 
warmth and hospitality, but also to demonstrate the great respect and 
affection with which Ambassador Mehdiyev is held by his colleagues and 
acquaintances. Diplomacy at its most basic level is about building 
connections between people, and the attendance of so many prominent 
individuals, from all walks of life, is a testament to Ambassador 
Mehdiyev's character and skills. He is a true professional in every 
sense of the word and I am pleased to pay tribute to him today.

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