[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6395]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


   WELCOMING HIS EXCELLENCY ILHAM ALIYEV, THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, the Senate recognizes Azerbaijan as a 
key ally in a region of significant importance and a valued partner to 
the United States. Under President Ilham Aliyev's leadership, 
Azerbaijan has made important contributions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and 
Kosovo. He supports efforts to combat terrorism, speed integration of 
Azerbaijan into Western institutions, and is committed to working with 
the United States in developing democracy and civil institutions in 
Azerbaijan.
  President Aliyev is in Washington this week to meet with President 
Bush, senior Administration officials, and key congressional leaders to 
discuss the promotion of democracy, regional cooperation, energy 
security and diversification, and our Nations' commitment to working 
closely together to advance freedom, security, and economic 
independence.
  Specifically, the Senate welcomes the fact that Azerbaijan is rapidly 
developing its national economy, growing at a rate of about 26 percent 
annually since 2004, which contributes to the alleviation of poverty 
and reaching the millennium development goals; is completing the one 
mbpd Baku-Ceyhan, BTC, oil pipeline and Baku-Erzerum, SCP, natural gas 
pipeline, set to increase energy exports and availability for the 
United States and its allies; and welcomes encouragement by the United 
States to assist the people of Azerbaijan in establishing a fully free 
and open democratic system, a prosperous free market economy, and its 
rightful place in European and Euro-Atlantic institutions, including 
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, and World Trade 
Organization, WTO.
  The Senate welcomes President Ilham Aliyev upon his first official 
visit to Washington and thanks him for coming.

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