The 20th Anniversary of Independence for the Republic of Azerbaijan

Floor Speech

* Ms. HOCHUL. Mr. Speaker, even though we are approaching the conclusion of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we still live in a dangerous world. But if we look back over the past two decades we can see that considerable progress has been made.

* In 1991 the Soviet Union disintegrated, according to our late, great Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a victim of ethnic tensions among the various and diverse republics that made up the USSR. Two decades later, much change has taken place in the former Soviet Union. Independent democracies have begun to emerge where once there were just brutal dictatorships. The Cold War is now over and we no longer have the same types of demands on our defense infrastructure prevalent of that era.

* There is one former Soviet Republic that I would like to single out today and congratulate on the 20th anniversary of its independence, the Republic of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has been a good friend of the United States, cooperating with us on the war on terror and the program to prevent former Soviet nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong hands. Azerbaijan has also provided important logistical support to our forces in Afghanistan and sent over 150 soldiers to assist us in our efforts in that country.

* As a secular Shiite Muslim country, Azerbaijan has been a role model. Before Azerbaijan was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1918, after the Russian Revolution, the country enjoyed a brief period of independence, and was the very first Muslim country to grant women the right to vote in 1918, two years before the United States did so with the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

* Azerbaijan has also enjoyed strong relations with Israel and the over 12,000 Azeri Jews are treated as full members of that society. Unlike most Muslim countries, Azerbaijan has full diplomatic relations with Israel and has hosted Israeli President Shimon Peres on a state visit in 2009. Israel is also Azerbaijan's 5th largest trading partner, and Azerbaijan provides over one-sixth of Israel's oil supply. As a result of these strong relations, when almost 600 Israeli citizens were stranded in Georgia at the beginning of the Russian invasion of that country and the Tbilisi Airport closed, Azerbaijan sent buses to the Georgian border to help evacuate the Israelis.

* Mr. Speaker, today I would like to concur with President Obama's statement on October 20, 2011 that ``This 20th anniversary of independence, and Azerbaijan's achievements during this time, demonstrate the extraordinary promise and determination of the Azeri people. The United States is committed to developing greater opportunities to work with the Government and people of Azerbaijan.''

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