[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15819]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
                RESTORATION OF AZERBAIJAN'S INDEPENDENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 18, 2011

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, as the Co-Chairman of the Congressional 
Azerbaijan Caucus, I would like to take this opportunity to honor the 
Republic of Azerbaijan as it celebrates the 20th anniversary of the 
restoration of Azerbaijan's independence.
  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 and the United States enjoy a strong partnership founded 
on shared interests in global and regional security, energy and 
economic development, democratic reforms, and respect for human rights. 
President Obama has called Azerbaijan a ``young democracy'' during his 
meeting with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in September 2010, and 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed during her July 2010 trip 
to Azerbaijan that ``the bonds between the United States and Azerbaijan 
and deep, important, and durable.''
  The past 20 years have seen Azerbaijan make great leaps in 
consolidating its sovereignty and political independence, and they are 
on the path towards building strong democratic institutions and a 
diversified economy that will further contribute to the welfare of the 
people of Azerbaijan. As I frequently remind my colleagues, the United 
States has more than 230 years of experience developing into the modern 
democracy we are today. It is critical that the United States provide 
our support and friendship to our partners in Azerbaijan as they 
continue to develop.
  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 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 U.S. 
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. It is important for the United States to continue to provide 
support for the development of the Southern Corridor that will further 
strengthen energy security.
  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, as highlighted by Secretary of Defense 
Robert Gates, plays an important role in the Northern Distribution 
Network, a supply route to Afghanistan by making available its ground 
and Caspian naval transportation facilities. Moreover, Azerbaijan 
provides vital support for U.S. nonproliferation efforts.
  Again, as the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, it 
is my distinct pleasure to congratulate the people of Azerbaijan and 
President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of this important anniversary. I 
ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this important milestone in 
the history of Azerbaijan also encourage my colleagues who are 
interested in supporting Azerbaijan to join me as a member of 
Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, a bipartisan group of nearly 40 
Members of Congress working to help foster the growing partnership 
between the United States and Azerbaijan and to advance U.S. interests 
in this pivotal region.

                          ____________________