[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 84 (Thursday, May 26, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E801]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 98TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC DAY OF AZERBAIJAN

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 2016

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 98th 
anniversary of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan, and to extend my best 
wishes to all Azerbaijanis as they celebrate Republic Day. May 28th 
marks the founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, when the 
people of Azerbaijan first gained their independence from the Russian 
Empire in 1918. Although Azerbaijan's independence was ended by Soviet 
forces in 1920, it is noteworthy that the Democratic Republic of 
Azerbaijan was the world's first secular parliamentary democratic 
republic in a predominantly Muslim nation--earning diplomatic 
recognition from the United States during the administration of 
President Woodrow Wilson. We also recall, with admiration, that the 
Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan granted universal suffrage to its 
citizens in 1918, making it the first Muslim country to give women the 
right to vote.
   Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan restored its 
independence on October 18, 1991, when its Parliament adopted the 
Constitution Act on the Restoration of the State of Independence of the 
Republic of Azerbaijan.
   The last twenty-five years of independence have not been without 
challenges for the people of Azerbaijan. At the fall of the Soviet 
Union, Azerbaijan found itself in an armed conflict over occupied 
territory by Armenia. In 1993, the United Nations Security Council 
adopted four resolutions demanding complete, unconditional and 
immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from the occupied territories 
of Azerbaijan. Despite the U.N. resolutions, today, more than 20 
percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven 
surrounding districts, remain under Armenian occupation.
   Additionally, a 1994 ceasefire agreement has been breached over the 
years with the most recent provocation occurring in 2016 while the 
Azerbaijani President was en route to Azerbaijan following a successful 
nuclear summit in the U.S. I am pleased that Azerbaijan immediately 
called for peace in the aftermath of the skirmish and remains committed 
to a peaceful resolution of the conflict with Armenia.
   Azerbaijan is a key global security partner for the United States. 
As an active member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program, Azerbaijan 
cooperates with the United States in countering terrorism, nuclear 
proliferation, and narcotics trafficking. Azerbaijani troops serve 
shoulder to shoulder with U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, as they 
previously did in Kosovo and Iraq. In support of the International 
Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan has extended 
important over-flight clearances for U.S. and NATO flights as well as 
regularly providing landing and refueling operations at its airports 
for U.S. and NATO forces. Azerbaijan also plays an important role in 
the Northern Distribution Network, a supply route to Afghanistan, by 
making available its ground and Caspian naval transportation 
facilities.
   Azerbaijan has emerged as a key player for enhancing global energy 
security. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-
Erzurum gas pipeline are the main arteries delivering Caspian Sea 
energy resources to global markets, and completion of the Southern Gas 
Corridor--which will run from the Caspian Sea through Azerbaijan, 
Georgia, Turkey, Greece, and Albania into Italy--will increase the 
energy security of key American allies by increasing the amount of 
natural gas from the Caspian Sea to European markets.
   Notably, Azerbaijan also provides roughly 40 percent of Israel's oil 
consumption. What may be more surprising to some is that Azerbaijan--a 
predominantly Muslim country--enjoys friendly ties with Israel beyond 
oil sales. Jews have resided in Azerbaijan for 2,500 years without 
persecution and today, the Jewish community in Azerbaijan numbers over 
12,000. Azerbaijan is also home to Christian communities and has been 
praised for its religious tolerance by the European Parliament.
   As co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, I congratulate 
the people of Azerbaijan on the monumental occasion of Republic Day in 
their national history. May the partnership between the United States 
and Azerbaijan progress and continue to benefit both of our nations.

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