Arizona Senate adopts a proclamation on Azerbaijan
The Senate of the State of Arizona of the United States passed a proclamation on April 12, 2018, expressing support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and honoring the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
Signed by Senate President Steve Yarbrough and presented by Senate President Pro Tem John Kavanagh, the proclamation passed unanimously at the plenary session of the Senate. Following the passage, the document was presented to Azerbaijan’s Consul General Nasimi Aghayev.
The proclamation notes that the first secular democratic republic in the Muslim world – Azerbaijan Democratic Republic - was established in 1918, which “enacted many progressive reforms, including granting the right to vote to women in 1919, which made Azerbaijan not only the first majority-Muslim nation to empower women, but it also put the country ahead of many advanced nations at the time in championing women's rights."
The document stresses that having restored its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan “has consolidated its freedom and independence and has become one of the world's fastest developing and modernizing countries, the largest economy of the region and the biggest U.S. trade partner in the South Caucasus.” It further mentions that the United States was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Azerbaijan and establish full-fledged diplomatic relations with it, and notes that Azerbaijan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity is recognized and supported by the U.S. and the United Nations.
Speaking of the U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, the proclamation emphasizes that both countries “have expanded their partnership and developed multi-faceted cooperation ranging from energy security, the fight against international terrorism and drug and human trafficking to nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction,.”
It states that “Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to render comprehensive and unconditional assistance to the United States immediately after the terror attacks of 9/11, opening its airspace and airports for the use by coalition troops in Afghanistan and sending its soldiers to serve there shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. troops.” The document commends Azerbaijan’s contributions to the energy security of the United States, Europe and Israel. It also indicates that “it is critical for the United States of America to continue to further support the freedom and independence of its allies, such as Azerbaijan, and strengthen our relations with them in order to advance the common interests, presently and in the future.”
The proclamation further says: “Azerbaijan has a long-standing tradition of peaceful co-existence and interfaith harmony among Muslims, Christians and Jews, and remains one of the few secular majority-Muslim countries that maintains close strategic relationship with the State of Israel.”
The proclamation notes that represented by its Consulate General in Los Angeles, Azerbaijan has formed a strong partnership with Arizona over the last few years, and Arizona has become one of the main trade partners of Azerbaijan in the U.S.
In conclusion, the Senate congratulates the Republic of Azerbaijan on the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, and reiterates a firm support for Azerbaijan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
A short video of the proclamation’s passage can be viewed here:
