[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8397]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              97TH ANNIVERSARY OF AZERBAIJANI REPUBLIC DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HENRY CUELLAR

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 2, 2015

  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Azerbaijanis 
around the world, in celebration of Republic Day on May 28. Republic 
Day commemorates Azerbaijan's declaration of its independence from the 
Russian Empire in 1918, becoming the first Muslim democratic secular 
republic in the region. Although only lasting two years, the Democratic 
Republic of Azerbaijan achieved considerable success in state-building 
and creating educational foundations for future generations. The 
Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan granted suffrage to women shortly 
after its creation, ahead of most Western democracies.
  Despite all of its successes, the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan 
was not in a position to weather the occupational forces of the then 
newly formed Soviet Russia. Consequently, Azerbaijan temporarily lost 
its independence in 1920 and later was brought into the U.S.S.R. In 
1990, Azerbaijan regained its independence from the U.S.S.R., ending 70 
years of Soviet rule. On August 30, 1991, Azerbaijan's Parliament 
adopted the Declaration on the Restoration of Independence of the 
Republic of Azerbaijan, and on October 18, 1991, the independence was 
approved by the adoption of a Constitutional Act.
  Since its independence, the Republic of Azerbaijan has been an ally 
and is among the first nations who offered unconditional support to the 
United States in the global War on Terrorism, providing its airspace 
and the use of its airports for Operation Enduring Freedom in 
Afghanistan. Today, Azerbaijan continues to be a strategic partner with 
the U.S.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking the people of 
Azerbaijan for their valuable partnership and congratulate Azerbaijanis 
around the world on the 97th anniversary of Republic Day.

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