Recognizing the 102nd Republic Day of Azerbaijan

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, as one of the House Co-chairs of the Azerbaijan Caucus, I am honored to recognize the Republic Day of Azerbaijan, commemorating Azerbaijan's 102nd year of independence and democracy. On May 28, 1918, Azerbaijan became the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East. Though it was absorbed into the Soviet Union in 1920, Azerbaijan again declared its independence seven decades later in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Azerbaijan's Republic Day serves as a time to highlight and reflect on some of the country's best qualities, including its strong relationship with Israel, its focus on energy security, and its key role in regional stability.

A Muslim-majority country, Azerbaijan also hosts a thriving, secure Jewish community, and the Azerbaijan-Israel bilateral relationship is strong.

Additionally, Azerbaijan is committed to protecting global energy security, especially through its efforts regarding the Southern Gas Corridor, which will decrease the Caspian region's dependence on Russian oil.

A stalwart U.S. ally, Azerbaijan has aided U.S. and NATO forces by providing critical refueling stations, and Azerbaijan's troops have fought side-by-side with U.S. troops in Afghanistan. In addition, Azerbaijan has contributed to the security of Kosovo and Iraq and supports peacekeeping operations under the United Nations and NATO. Azerbaijan is also committed to global nonproliferation efforts and participates as a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Azerbaijan is a significant U.S. partner in a strategically important area of the world, and I urge my colleagues to join me to commending the people of Azerbaijan on their Republic Day.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source