[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8470]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 99TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC DAY OF AZERBAIJAN

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 24, 2017

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 99th 
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 ofAzerbaijan 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.
  For the people of Azerbaijan, these last two decades of independence 
have not been without challenges. At the top of the list would be the 
ongoing conflict with Armenia. Although a cease fire was signed in 1994 
more than 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory--including Nagorno-
Karabakh and seven surrounding districts--remains under Armenian 
occupation and more than 1 million Azerbaijanis remain refugees unable 
to return to their home villages. In 1993, the U.N. Security Council 
adopted four resolutions demanding complete, unconditional and 
immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from the occupied territories 
of Azerbaijan. I am happy that Azerbaijan is committed to a peaceful 
resolution of the conflict with Anemia, and I support a swift and 
peaceful resolution to this conflict as well.
  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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