[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 207]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             BLACK JANUARY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DAN BOREN

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 23, 2012

  Mr. BOREN. Mr. Speaker, as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan 
Caucus, I note that January 20 marked the 22nd anniversary of an 
historic and tragic day in the history of the country of Azerbaijan.
  On the night of January 19, 1990, 26,000 Soviet troops invaded the 
capital city of Baku and surrounding areas. As a result of this violent 
crackdown on the Azerbaijani people more than 130 innocent civilians 
died, 611 were injured, 841 were arrested and many more were missing. 
This event remained in the history and in the minds of all the citizens 
as ``Black January''.
  This attack was an attempt to stop the independence movement that was 
gaining momentum in Azerbaijan and to rescue the totalitarian regime, 
the rule of Communist Party, and the whole Soviet Union. However, this 
invasion produced the opposite result. It further inflamed the national 
movement for independence in Azerbaijan and other Republics of the 
Soviet Union. In a resolution on January 22, 1990, the Supreme Soviet 
of Azerbaijan SSR declared that the decree used by the Presidium of the 
Supreme Soviet of the USSR to impose emergency rule in Baku and 
military deployment constituted an act of aggression. This event is 
seen as the rebirth of the Azerbaijan Republic.
  Popular pressure led the country to break away from Soviet rule and 
declare its independence. On August 30, 1991, Azerbaijan's Parliament 
adopted the Declaration on the Restoration of the State Independence of 
the Republic of Azerbaijan, and on October 18, 1991, the Constitutional 
Act on the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan was 
approved. November 1991 marked the beginning of international 
recognition of Azerbaijan's independence. The United States was among 
the first nations to recognize independence of this young country. It 
established diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan on February 28, 1992, 
and opened an embassy in Baku in March of that year.
  Today, Azerbaijan has developed into a thriving country with 
sustainable economic growth and developing democratic institutions. The 
United States and Azerbaijan are cooperating on a broad range of issues 
and share a common vision for the future of the region and beyond.
  I encourage my colleagues to join with me today in standing with 
Azerbaijanis as they commemorate this tragedy.

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